Luce Gallery to exhibit Haitian art

“Haiti to Iowa: A Survey of Haitian Art” from the Waterloo Center for the Arts Permanent Collection will be on display in the Peter Paul Luce Gallery in McWethy Hall Oct. 28–Dec. 10.

The Department of Art and Art History will host a reception and lecture on Friday, Nov. 2 from 4–6 p.m.

The Waterloo Center for the Arts holds the largest publicly held collection of Haitian artwork in the world. “Haiti to Iowa” showcases creative production in Haiti, and the accompanying information provides context related to the history of Haiti and the collection of Haitian artwork.

Exhibit curator Elizabeth Andrews ’05 is the registrar and curator of international textiles at the Waterloo Center for the Arts. An Iowa native, Andrews graduated from Cornell with majors in French and studio art. She later earned a Master of Arts in textile history with an emphasis in quilt studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). A graduate assistantship in the collections department of the International Quilt Study Center and Museum at UNL led her into the field of museum collections management. 

Haitian artworks entered the Waterloo Center for the Arts permanent collection in 1977 when a local couple, Dr. and Mrs. F. Harold Reuling, donated the first pieces. While traveling in Haiti during their retirement years, the couple began collecting passionately. They were eventually compelled to share the treasured collection with their community.

From 1977 through the 1980s and up to the present decade, the unique, visually compelling Haitian art collection inspired museum staff and volunteers to expand the collection, and learn how to best interpret the work. Research and networking led to connections across the country. Artists, donors, and researchers shared their gifts with the Waterloo Center for the Arts on a grand scale. Today the collection holds more than 1,500 pieces. 

Luce Gallery Hours: Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sunday 2–4 p.m.