Chinese jades from Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery at UNL's Lentz Center

Presented by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, "Magic, Myths, and Minerals: Chinese Jades from the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery" will premiere on May 21 at the Lentz Center for Asian Culture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The exhibition includes 37 small jade sculptures dating from ancient times through the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).

An opening reception will be held May 20 from 5-8 p.m. A gallery talk by Barbara Banks, director/curator of the Lentz Center, will begin at 5:30. These events are free and open to the public.

Coral Su will provide storytelling for children, ages 5-10, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on June 4 and 18. The storytelling sessions are free; however, seats must be reserved by calling 472-5841. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

The exhibition was organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in cooperation with the Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery. This exhibition was made possible in part by the Blakemore Foundation and the Smithsonian Special Exhibition Fund.

"Magic, Myths, and Minerals" explores the art of jade carving, touching on the significance and use of jade in Chinese society, and introduces the extraordinary skills required to work jade. Most of the pieces on view are small, precious items.

Jade has been an integral part of Chinese culture for more than 5,000 years. In ancient China, jade was recognized not only for its beauty and durability, but also for its reputed magical or supernatural qualities. It was believed that jade preserved the human body after death.

Jade long retained its symbolic value; however, in later centuries jade was primarily appreciated for its decorative appeal. Most of the animal sculptures seen in this exhibition were not made for ceremonial purposes, rather for private appreciation. Many of the animals that Chinese artisans represented in jade were taken from the realm of Chinese myth and fable. The objects in this exhibition are divided into sections that describe the significance of animals such as birds, dragons, horses, elephants, animals of the zodiac and others.

The pieces in the exhibition vary as much in their look as they do in significance. One piece depicts a mandarin duck, which holds a lotus in its beak. The duck is an emblem of faithfulness and marriage. Another piece painstakingly represents an elephant, which is regarded as a wise and patient animal in Chinese lore. Fashioned during the Song dynasty (10th-13th century), this piece displays the detail of a real elephant, taking into consideration the elephant's wrinkled skin, curving tusks, veined ears and its large toenails.

There are few carving tools capable of carving hard jade rock. Instead, jade artisans apply a paste made from ground garnets, quartz sand, or other abrasive particles, and gradually wear away small areas of the jade to shape a sculpture. During the carving, the piece of jade is held under running water. Jade workers must always consider the original stone when sculpting their pieces. Some of the best-loved jades are those in which the subject matter is perfectly adapted to the natural size, shape, and color of the original stone.

Chinese lore is replete with stories and often the stories are about animals. To carry the Lentz Center's successful children's program, the center invited Su to tell some of these stories. A native of Taiwan, Su has a master's degree from UNL and is a licensed teacher. The target age range is ages 5-10, but all ages are welcome.

The Sackler Gallery opened in 1987 with a gift of almost a thousand works of Asian art given by Dr. Arthur M. Sackler. Sackler's gift included Chinese bronzes, jades and sculpture. The Sackler Gallery holds one of the largest collections of Chinese jades in North America and is devoted to exhibition, education and research on the art of Asia.

SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 50 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science, and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play, including museums, libraries, science centers, historical societies, community centers, botanical gardens, schools and shopping malls. Exhibition descriptions and tour schedules are available at www.sites.si.edu.

The Lentz Center also has a small collection of jade. Many of these items will also be on exhibition. The basic collection was given by Donald and Velma Lentz, who also provided the original endowment for the center. The jade pieces were among their favorite items. Other donors of outstanding jades are Cliff and Mary Hillegass and Joan and Houghton Furr.

The Lentz Center recognizes the rich and varied cultures of the many diverse peoples of Asia. As an entity within UNL, the center's unique collection provides a singular opportunity for enhancing instructional programs on the campus as well as enriching the cultural environment of the citizens of the state of Nebraska. It is dedicated to the enrichment of knowledge and understanding of Asia, and is the only institution in Nebraska devoted solely to Asian art.

Through exhibitions of Asian art and artifacts and other cultural activities, it is hoped that a greater awareness will prevail in our community. As multicultural experiences are becoming more valuable in our rapidly changing world, the Lentz Center offers a unique opportunity to develop greater understanding.

The Lincoln Chinese Cultural Association and the Asian Community and Cultural Center are enthusiastic supporters of this event.

The Lentz Center is in the lower level of the Hewit Place building, 1155 Q St., across from the Lied Center for Performing Arts. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and 1:30-4 p.m. Sundays. It is closed Mondays. For more information, visit the Web site at www.unl.edu/lentz.

The link below is to a piece titled "Elephant. Song dynasty, 10th-13th century." Working within the contours of the natural stone, the artist has carefully recorded the details of an accurately observed elephant. The artist has taken pains to pick out such details as the elephant's wrinkled skin, its curving tusks, its veined ears and its large toenails. Gift of Arthur M. Sackler.

CONTACT: Barbara Banks, Director/Curator, Lentz Center for Asian Culture, (402) 472-5841