CHAMPAIGN, Ill. African masks, woodcarvings, beadwork, and bronze and terra cotta pieces are among the art and artifacts on view through Nov. 4 in a new exhibition at the University of Illinois Krannert Art Museum.
“African Art: The Gift From the Faletti Family Collection” showcases more than 20 pieces donated to the museum over several years by collector Richard Faletti and his family.
Faletti, a UI law school graduate from Spring Valley, Ill., started his collection after a series of business trips to Nigeria, beginning in 1979. Through his travels, he developed an appreciation of traditional African arts, which eventually evolved into a passion for studying and collecting West African art. The museums Faletti collection includes noteworthy examples of art from the Dogon, Senufu and Yoruba peoples.
The following events, free and open to the public, are planned in conjunction with the exhibition:
o Sept. 12, 7 p.m., a gallery talk by Krannert curator Gisele Atterberry.
o Oct. 10, 7 p.m., Krannert auditorium, a book discussion with Carol Spindel, author of “In the Shadow of the Sacred Grove,” her account of life in an Ivory Coast village.
o Oct. 13, 9:30 and 10:15 a.m., storytelling with Dawn Blackman of Motherlands Multicultural Resource Center, Champaign.
The Krannert Art Museum is located on the UI campus at 500 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign, one block east of Memorial Stadium. The museum is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; until 8 p.m. on Wednesday; and from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. A donation of $3 is suggested.
