Exhibition: Art exhibits at Muskegon Community College focus on Africa

mlive.com (Marla Miller)

Africa and Egypt will be the focus of two individual exhibitions opening Monday at Muskegon Community College's Overbrook Gallery.

The dual exhibits "Out of Africa" and "Discovering Ancient Egypt" are on loan from the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and will hang through Feb. 25. The show is in conjunction with the college's Global Awareness Festival. Events are scheduled throughout the week of Feb. 9-13.

The two displays are part of the institute's ARTreach Traveling Exhibits. "Out of Africa" showcases a selection of tribal objects, including authentic African masks, fabrics and jewelry that highlight the role that art plays in traditional African cultures.

The collection explores how masks, textiles, beadwork and other ceremonial objects express the social and spiritual values of different cultures from across the African continent. Specifically there is adire eleko fabric and chi wara figurines, said Erin Hoffman, a new art instructor installing the exhibitions.