Purdue News
Purdue News
|
|
February 18, 2000 New art gallery features alum's Egyptian antiquitiesWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The flair and flavor of life in ancient Egypt comes to Purdue with a unique exhibit from the private collection of Purdue alumnus Charles Pankow, as well as three lectures on ancient Egyptian cultures. The Pankow show, which includes 75 pieces, headlines the opening of Union Gallery, Purdue's new art gallery in Purdue Memorial Union Room 110. The artifacts are on loan from Pankow's palatial mansion in the San Francisco Bay area, called the La Petit Trianon after its French namesake. Pankow and his wife, Doris, still maintain living quarters in the Presidium Heights home. The exhibit features stone sculptures of Egyptian gods, vividly painted funerary or death masks, limestone reliefs of prominent individuals, jeweled strands of beads and alabaster jars. "I can't think of a better way to open this gallery than by having the opportunity to present these outstanding artifacts from Mr. Pankow's private collection," said Michael Atwell, Purdue Galleries interim director. "These pieces are of exceptional quality." The Egyptian antiquities date back to 3000 B.C. and span about 4,000 years. "Many of the artifacts came from Egyptian tombs, and they emphasize the Egyptians' belief in death as a passing from one form of life to another," Atwell said. "Many of the items were designed by Egyptians for use in the next life. The handiwork in these pieces is both beautiful and purposeful." An example includes the brilliant alabaster jars and measuring cups, which were used to store the organs of the deceased. Another is a bronze figure of the Egyptian god of death, Osiris. Other artifacts in the exhibit include a 24-inch limestone relief of an ancient Egyptian named Steward Qar and his wife, Khentysyes. The couple stand straight and equal next to each other. It was unusual for a wife to be included in a relief produced during that era, and when a woman was included in this type of statue, she usually was made smaller than the man. "Mr. Pankow has a gift for selecting quality artifacts, and we're fortunate to be able to show some of his pieces," Atwell said. Pankow began collecting Egyptian antiquities in 1978. His overall art collection of more than 1,000 pieces includes Russian icons, Asian artifacts, pre-Columbian sculpture and Impressionists paintings. The Indianapolis native earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Purdue in 1947 and founded his own construction company, Pankow Builders Ltd., in 1963. He invented the process for manufacturing hollow concrete piles, which are commonly used in structures built in earthquake zones. In 1974, he received the Roger H. Corbetta Award for his innovative methods of construction and for developing economical uses for concrete. The show is now open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through May 5 at the Union Gallery, just inside the Grant Street entrance to the Union. Purdue Galleries also has scheduled three Art Advocates Lectures about life in ancient Egypt: • Thursday, Feb. 24. Rabbi Mohtar, Purdue assistant professor of biological engineering, presents "Gift of the Nile, Then and Now" at noon in Stewart Center, Room 313. • Tuesday, Feb. 29. Matthew Kubik, associate professor of civil and architectural engineering technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, lectures on "Procession and Monument in Ancient Egyptian Architecture" at noon in Stewart Center, Room 213. • Thursday, March 23. David Parrish, Purdue associate professor of art and design, and Gordon Young, Purdue associate professor of history, present "Ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern History" at 3:30 p.m. in Stewart Center, Room 302. CONTACT: Atwell, (765) 494-3061, matwell@purdue.edu
|
