Pottery Project

Monday, 01 February 2010 01:14

With such a large campus, University of Arizona students often miss out on some of the Tucson's unknown gems. The UA offers more than ten galleries and museums on campus that display a variety of diverse art exhibits, and one of those is located in the heart of the main campus.

The Arizona State Museum, 1013 East University Boulevard, is one such venue that can be found right on the main campus. The museum caters to those hungry for art from the many cultures of Arizona, the American Southwest and Northern Mexico.

A permanent fixture at the ASM is the Pottery Project that showcases pottery collected from the American desert as well as Southwestern and Northern Mexico. It boasts the tagline  "2,000 years, 20,000 vessels" and is currently the largest and most extensive collection of its kind.

The collection has been designated as an official project of the "Save America's Treasures" program and in 2008 was honored with the National Preservation Award for Demonstrated Excellence and Outstanding Commitment for the Preservation and Care of Collections by the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.

Darlene Lizarraga, marketing coordinator at the ASM and a self-proclaimed "professional bragger", said she hopes that visitors take away an appreciation for the pottery's ability to teach about the past.

"This is 2,000 years worth of creations by extraordinary cultures," Lizarraga said. "The vessels can tell scientists so much just based on where they were found, in what position they were in, the residue found inside. It's incredible."

The exhibit features a climate-controlled vault to ensure the highest preservation for the most fragile vessels and a complete state of the art conservation lab, where students and faculty work behind a glass wall to invite onlookers into their world of pottery. Some of the museums most treasured pieces come from historic tribes from all over the Southwest and include the artwork from Anasazi, Hopi and Casas Grandes archaeological sites.

Lisa Falk, Director of Education for the ASM, said that "people need to see this vibrant tradition of science and culture."

When asked what her favorite part of her job was, she smiled and replied that it was "helping so many different types of people connect with wonderfully different cultures."

"The vessels really help scientists understand their creators and are essentially lifestyle indicators," she added.

Archaeologist Dr. Irene Romano said she was "just in awe" when she saw the exhibit.

"It's fascinating to see this collection, and to see so many complete vessels in one room is such a treat."

You can visit the exhibit at the museum during its hours, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for students.

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Written by Marcy Christine Jones