From the Fall 2018 issue of Skylight
After many months of careful cataloging, the GTU Collection of Sacred World Art is now accessible to the GTU community!
Visitors to the library this fall may have noticed two new storage cabinets on the main floor. Over the last few months, nearly half of the more than three hundred items in the GTU Collection of Sacred World Art have been brought from temporary storage and relocated to a permanent home in these state-of-the-art archival storage units. Constructed by Delta Designs, these cabinets are used by museums nationally and will provide secure housing for the Collection of Sacred World Art.
Many of the world’s religious traditions have in common a vibrant material culture that’s reflected in the collection. Lanier Graham, a professional curator, professor of museum studies and world religions, and president of the Institute for Aesthetic Development, generously donated the collection several years ago in order to enhance the GTU’s focus on interreligious study and dialogue. From Neolithic Hongshan jade figurines to Ashanti ceremonial masks, the GTU Collection of Sacred World Art represents one collector’s quest to represent the breadth of sacred art from around the world.
GTU students and faculty may borrow items from the collection for research, classroom use, or other educational purposes. Other researchers may access the collection on site. Items can also be displayed in GTU offices or public places with permission.
Members of the GTU community and other scholars interested in accessing the collection can contact Clay-Edward Dixon, director of library services, at cedixon@gtu.edu. A complete object list is available by contacting the assistant curator at the Center for the Arts & Religion, Lydia Webster, at lwebster@gtu.edu.
Learn more at www.gtu.edu/sacred-world-art.