1     xxxxxxx ARH2000 Fall 2017 Harn Diversity Project The Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida displays an expansive collection of Asian art from various countries throughout the region. The online exhibit Korean Art: Collecting Treasures showcases pieces that span a multitude of media and that can trace their origins to Korea. Many of the pieces were donated to the museum by General James Van Fleet in 1988. Fleet served in the U.S. Army as an officer during the Korean War and influenced the founding of the Korea Society in New York in 1957. The Korea Society worked to promote positive relations between American and Korean communities by encouraging a “mutual understanding” between the two cultures (“Korean Art: Collecting Treasures”). The effect of Korean Art: Collecting Treasures is very similar; it creates a window into the world that is Korean culture thus sparking conversation and recognizing and validating the strong Korean community in Gainesville. Gainesville, as a whole, is a widely diverse community which is largely due to the influence of the University of Florida. Educational and research opportunities draw people from across the globe to this central Floridian town. The Institute of International Education Open Doors Report of 2016 states that there is a total of 7,107 international students enrolled here at UF with 267 of these students being from South Korea. The total of South Korean international students is the third largest group behind only China and India. In addition to international students, there are, also, eighty-one exchange students from South Korea. The Korean  2     Undergraduate Student Association (KUSA) provides a way for this community of Korean students, international, exchange, and American, to engage with each other and find support. KUSA enhances the social lives of its members by establishing “big” and “little” families, hosting a spring formal dance, and organizing an annual trip to Atlanta (“KUSA at UF”). Beyond the social aspects of the club, the Korean Undergraduate Student Association states that their goal is to “unite” the Korean and Korean-American communities and to “promote the visibility” of these communities “on campus as well as in the greater society” (KUSA-GatorConnect). This stated purpose is extremely similar to the purpose of the aforementioned Korea Society and mirrors the effect Korean Art: Collecting Treasures has on viewers, particularly the aspect of “visibility.” The Korean Undergraduate Student Association with this Korean art exhibit, together prevent Korean culture from being ignored or neglected on campus by giving it a place to come together and shine brightly to the public. Korean Art: Collecting Treasures features pieces whose themes, styles, and media are iconic to Korean artwork as a whole. Ceramic works are particularly characteristic of Asia (Frank, 318). Almost all of ...

1. 1
xxxxxxx
ARH2000
Fall 2017
Harn Diversity Project
The Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida displays
an expansive collection of
Asian art from various countries throughout the region. The
online exhibit Korean Art:
Collecting Treasures showcases pieces that span a multitude of
media and that can trace their
origins to Korea. Many of the pieces were donated to the
museum by General James Van Fleet in
1988. Fleet served in the U.S. Army as an officer during the
Korean War and influenced the
founding of the Korea Society in New York in 1957. The Korea
Society worked to promote

2. positive relations between American and Korean communities
by encouraging a “mutual
understanding” between the two cultures (“Korean Art:
Collecting Treasures”). The effect of
Korean Art: Collecting Treasures is very similar; it creates a
window into the world that is
Korean culture thus sparking conversation and recognizing and
validating the strong Korean
community in Gainesville.
Gainesville, as a whole, is a widely diverse community which is
largely due to the
influence of the University of Florida. Educational and research
opportunities draw people from
across the globe to this central Floridian town. The Institute of
International Education Open
Doors Report of 2016 states that there is a total of 7,107
international students enrolled here at
UF with 267 of these students being from South Korea. The
total of South Korean international
students is the third largest group behind only China and India.
In addition to international
students, there are, also, eighty-one exchange students from
South Korea. The Korean

3. 2
Undergraduate Student Association (KUSA) provides a way for
this community of Korean
students, international, exchange, and American, to engage with
each other and find support.
KUSA enhances the social lives of its members by establishing
“big” and “little” families,
hosting a spring formal dance, and organizing an annual trip to
Atlanta (“KUSA at UF”). Beyond
the social aspects of the club, the Korean Undergraduate
Student Association states that their
goal is to “unite” the Korean and Korean-American
communities and to “promote the visibility”
of these communities “on campus as well as in the greater
society” (KUSA-GatorConnect). This
stated purpose is extremely similar to the purpose of the
aforementioned Korea Society and
mirrors the effect Korean Art: Collecting Treasures has on
viewers, particularly the aspect of
“visibility.” The Korean Undergraduate Student Association
with this Korean art exhibit,

4. together prevent Korean culture from being ignored or neglected
on campus by giving it a place
to come together and shine brightly to the public.
Korean Art: Collecting Treasures features pieces whose themes,
styles, and media are
iconic to Korean artwork as a whole. Ceramic works are
particularly characteristic of Asia
(Frank, 318). Almost all of the ceramic
pottery seen in the Harn museum’s Asian
wing are blue porcelain with intricate
designs. The striking and recognizable blue
color was chosen by artists because it was
the only color that could handle the high
temperature at which the porcelain is fired
(Frank, 318). An example of this ceramic
tradition is the “Small Blue-Glazed Molded Fish-Form Water
Dropper” produced during the
“Small
Blue-­‐Glazed
Molded
Fish-­‐Form
Water

5. Dropper,”
Joseon
Dynasty,
19th
Century,
Artist
unknown
3
nineteenth century Joseon Dynasty. According to the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, water
droppers were originally made for use in the process of diluting
ink. Water would be dripped
from this vessel onto an inkstone where an ink stick would be
grinded. Water droppers were
often formed into “whimsical” shapes like the fish shown here,
and they were very fashionable
during the nineteenth century (The Met).
Another type of artwork that is very characteristic of the Korean
genre is ink on paper
paintings. Traditional paintings typically feature landscape
scenes and calligraphy (Frank, 315).

6. The addition of calligraphy to the paintings displays the artists’
efforts to bring painting to the already highly respected level of
calligraphy and poetry (Frank, 315). By including the revered
artforms of calligraphy and poetry, artists made their paintings
more valuable. Both landscape and calligraphy are seen in
“Mountain Landscape” from the nineteenth century. It features a
mountain scene from a bird’s eye view that appears to fade
away
into a faint mist which is characteristic of later styles of ink on
paper paintings (Frank, 316). Despite this, it maintains many
elements and appearances of similar paintings produced
hundreds
of years prior. This “copying” of old styles is reflective of the
importance of Confucianism’s ideology on respecting the past,
as
Confucianism was impactful in Korean culture’s development
(Frank, 317). The artist of this work and other similar pieces are
mimicking much older paintings
in an effort to honor them.
“Mountain

7. Landscape,”
19th
Century,
Artist
unknown
4
Another example of ink on paper is “Seok Mo Ro-In, Tiger”
which was produced in the
late nineteenth century. According to Hae Yeun Kim’s article
“East Asian Cultural Exchange in
Tiger and Dragon Paintings,” tigers have symbolic meanings in
Korean culture. In East Asian
art, images of tigers are often paired with those of dragons
(Kim).
They can be linked to Daoism with the tiger representing “yin”
and the dragon representing “yang” (Kim). Tigers can be
connected to Buddhism through the Jataka tales (Kim). The
tiger
and the dragon are part of the Four Divine Animals with the
tiger

8. representing the west and the dragon representing the east
(Kim).
Tigers and dragons together can be considered a well-balanced
pair because they are opposites. This quality of balance is a
fundamental ideal in Korean culture as Koreans believe in
striving
for harmony and balance in all things (PBS, “Hidden Korea”).
While tiger imagery also appears in Chinese and Japanese art,
the
style of this piece gives away its Korean origins. Korean tiger
paintings feature very little background making the tiger itself
the
main focus of the piece. If Korean tigers are placed in a
landscape,
it is typically mountainous or rocky (Kim). Both of these
backdrop
characteristics are seen in this painting. The tigers in Korean
depictions are often more two-
dimensional than those produced by other cultures as flatness is
a popular style of Korean art
(Kim). Korean painters were often less detailed when painting
tigers, particularly the stripes

9. which are shown as simple, solid lines (Kim). Tigers were well-
respected animals in Korean
culture, and the danger of one and its power was well
understood (Kim). This is reflected in the
“Seok
Mo
Ro-­‐In,
Tiger,”
Late
19th
Century,
Artist
unknown
5
facial expression and posture of the tiger shown here. This tiger
is shown as fierce and cunning.
The highly symbolic status of the tiger makes it an important
and popular subject of Korean art.
Upon its arrival to Korea, Confucianism played a large role in
shaping Korean culture
and government practices (New World Encyclopedia, “Korean
Confucianism”). While often

10. thought of as a religion, Confucianism is actually better
defined as an ideology about political and social structure
that places heavy importance on subordination, customs and
rituals, and high standards of proper decorum (PBS, “Hidden
Korea”). Confucianism, along with Buddhism, was brought
to Korea from China. It was studied and developed by
scholars during the Koryô dynasty, and immediately after,
Neo-Confucianism came to full fruition during the Yi
dynasty (New World Encyclopedia, “Korean
Confucianism”). Confucianism became the official state cult
during the Chosun dynasty of the fourteenth century (PBS,
“Hidden Korea”). After suffering from lower class poverty,
the corruption among Buddhist monks, and Chinese
invasions, Neo-Confucianism’s ideas about reform and
ethics were welcomed by the Korean people (New World
Encyclopedia, “Korean Confucianism”). Family structure and
values are integral to Confucian
teachings making it logical for a family to possess a Confucian
altar that was kept in the home –

11. the center of family life. The altar is elegant and proud but not
extravagant or loud in its
decoration which reflects the Confucian ideas about decorum
and correct behavior. The piece
“Carved
Lacquered
Wood
'Pavilion'-­‐Form
Confucian
Altar,”
Joseon
Dynasty,
19th
Century,
Artist
unknown
6
conveys the Korean ideal of balance through its symmetry and
elongated rectangular shape. By
placing this altar in the family home, it likely provided a daily
reminder of the Confucian ideals

12. that were integral to Korean life during the time of the altar’s
creation.
In addition to Confucianism, Buddhism and its teachings were
extremely influential in
the development of Korean culture. Buddhism originated in
India and spread across Southeast
Asia to China and Korea (Encyclopaedia Britannica,
“Buddhism”). Buddhism focuses on the personal lives of
those who practice it with its ideology about achieving
enlightenment by letting go of worldly attachments
(Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Buddhism”). While Buddhism
is an extremely widespread religion, Buddhist art is
different for every culture that produces it (Frank, 304). In
fact, it differs over time, as well. One characteristic of early
Buddhist art is that it is non-figural or nonrepresentational
(Frank, 304). An example of this non-figural Buddhist art,
is the stupa. Buddhist stupas evolved from earlier Indian
burial mounds, and Indian stupas reflect this by containing
a dome-like shape (Frank, 304). However, the shape seen

13. here in this Korean stupa from the Joseon dynasty more closely
resembles that of a Chinese
Buddhist pagoda. Pagodas developed from the merging of the
Indian stupa and the traditional
Chinese watchtower which resulted in a stepped tower structure
(Frank, 305). Again, balance is
shown in the symmetry of each step and in the symmetrically
sloping sides of the tower.
“Stupa,”
Joseon
Dynasty
(1392-­‐1910),
Artist
unknown
7
Upon viewing the online exhibit, it becomes apparent that
religious traditions are integral
to Korean culture. The Gainesville community and the UF
community, especially, offer many
opportunities for engagement in the Korean religious
community. For example, on campus

14. students have the opportunity to become involved in the World
Peace Buddhist-Soka Gakkai
International-USA club. This club states their purpose as
“propagating the teachings of Nichiren
Buddhism” which they achieve “through daily Buddhist practice
of spreading peace, exchanging
culture and sharing closely knit bonds with people around us by
undergoing a self-transformation
within ourselves.” Outside of the UF campus, the Gainesville
Buddhist community features Tu
Viện A Nan which is a Buddhist temple where people from
different backgrounds can come
together. In addition, there is a Buddhist statue park on-site
containing large stone
representations of important Buddhist figures. These statues are
closely tied to the pieces found
in the Harn museum in their shared purpose. Together, they
introduce Buddhism to the wider
Gainesville community by educating viewers and giving them a
concrete rather than abstract
definition of Buddhism. Apart from the Buddhist community,
Gainesville offers a niche for
Christian Koreans, too. Located on the southwest side of town,
the Korean Baptist Church of

15. Gainesville serves the community by offering worship services,
bible studies, prayer meetings,
and fellowship opportunities for those seeking to become
involved. The variety of opportunities
for Buddhist and Christian Koreans reflects the diversity within
the Korean community and of
the Gainesville community as a whole.
At a surface level, it is difficult to relate my personal
experience to the experiences of
UF’s Korean community. I am not of Korean descent and
neither are my close friends. My
insight into their struggles and overall experience is admittedly
limited. However, we are
inherently tied by our shared status as a student of the
University of Florida. We drive the same
8
roads and walk the same sidewalks. We take classes together
and struggle through them together.
We are more united than we seem. This collection of Korean art

16. at the Harn has opened my eyes
to the diversity and expanse of the Korean community here in
Gainesville, and through my
research on the various art pieces, I have learned a vast amount
about Korean culture.
This online exhibit, Korean Art: Collecting Treasures, and the
far broader collection of
Asian art featured at the Harn Museum of Art provides an
educational experience, similar to my
own, for all viewers and visitors. Education is the first step in
the journey towards understanding
and compassion between differing groups. Understanding
between peoples reflects the goals of
the Korea Society thus leading to the conclusion that this
understanding was, also, the motivation
in General James Van Fleet’s, decision to donate many of the
pieces shown in this exhibit. The
exhibit gets people talking about Korean culture in a positive,
intelligent, and informed way. It
takes people who otherwise would have very little interaction
with the Korean community and
exposes them to traditional Korean culture and customs. This
exhibit is likely a source of pride
for the Korean community as it puts beautiful and valuable

17. artifacts of their culture in the
spotlight. By doing so, it validates the influence of Korean
culture in American society and
recognizes the presence of the Korean community in America.
The ceramic water dropper, the
ink on paper paintings, the Confucian altar, and the Buddhist
stupa, together, exemplify aspects
of Korean heritage and the origins of Korean culture. Korean
Art: Collecting Treasures reflects
the Korean community of Gainesville and influences the
Gainesville community through
education about the diversity that can be found within the
Gainesville community itself.
9
Works Cited
Frank, Patrick. Prebles’ Artforms: An Introduction to the Visual
Arts.11th ed., Pearson, 2014.

18. Pages 304-305, 315-318.
“Hidden Korea- Religion.” PBS.
http://www.pbs.org/hiddenkorea/religion.htm. Accessed 3
December 2017.
Kim, Hae Yeun. “East Asian Cultural Exchange in Tiger and
Dragon Paintings.” Heilbrunn
Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum
of Art, October 2016.
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/tidra/hd_tidra.htm.
Accessed 3 December 2017.
Kitagawa, Joseph M.; Lopez, Donald S.; Nakamura, Hajime;
Reynolds, Frank E.; Snellgrove,
David Llewelyn; Tucci, Guiseppe. “Buddhism.” Encyclopaedia
Britannica, Inc., 18 July
2017, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Buddhism. Accessed 3
Decmeber 2017.
“Korean Art: Collecting Treasures.” Exhibits. University of
Florida George A Smathers
Libraries, http://exhibits.uflib.ufl.edu/harnkoreanart/. Accessed
3 December 2017.
Korean Baptist Church of Gainesville.2017.
http://www.kbcg.org/newhome/. Accessed 3
December 2017.

19. “Korean Confucianism.” New World Encyclopedia, 29 July
2014,
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Korean_Confucian
ism. Accessed 3
December 2017.
“Korean Undergraduate Student Association.” GatorConnect.
University of Florida Student
Activities and Involvement. 2017.
10
https://orgs.studentinvolvement.ufl.edu/Organization/Korean-
Undergraduate-Student-
Association. Accessed 3 December 2017.
“KUSA At UF.” Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/uf.kusa/.
Accessed 3 December 2017.
“Open Doors Reports - International Students, Exchange
Visitors.” University of Florida
International Center.
https://www.ufic.ufl.edu/OpenDoorsReports.html. Accessed 3
December 2017.

20. “Ring-shaped water dropper.” The Met.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/72620.
Accessed 3 December 2017.
“Tu Viện A Nan.” Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/chua.a.nan/. Accessed 3 December
2017.
“World Peace Buddhist-Soka Gakkai International-USA.”
GatorConnect. University of Florida
Student Activities and Involvement. 2017.
https://orgs.studentinvolvement.ufl.edu/Organization/World-
Peace-Buddhist-Soka-
Gakkai-International-USA. Accessed 3 December 2017.
xxxx
ARH2000
Fall 2017
Harn Diversity Project

21. Introduction
The city of Gainesville is home to a vast population of over one
hundred thousand
people, yet with that large population comes a very high
fraction of residents represented by only
two groups. The balance of races shows a heavy tilt towards
Caucasians and African-Americans,
with almost ninety percent of people falling into those two
categories and the majority of them
being in the former (Areavibes). Perhaps this has to do with
Gainesville not being a particular
hub of travel, tourism or development (despite the constant
construction seen around the city) but
rather a community based around a university. It is the college
in this “college-town,” however,
that helps to strengthen the population’s diversity.
While the Gainesville may not be all that diverse, the
University of Florida assists in
bringing a broader range of different characteristics. People
from all around the world are
represented on campus, with a slightly more balanced
population at hand. The percentage of
Caucasians is lower and Hispanic/Latino people hold the second

22. largest group at UF at
approximately twenty-two percent. Asian and African-
American students represent two other
main ethnicities found on campus, with American Indian, Multi-
race, Pacific Islander, and
unknown making up the rest of the population (Collegedata).
2
One of the greatest attributes of the University of Florida is its
capacity to entertain the
interests of over all fifty thousand of its students. Other than
the many different educational
routes that pertain to different aspects of diversity, there are
over a thousand registered student
organizations and clubs available, many of which focusing on
religion, heritage and culture
(Student Activities and Involvement). Another superb element
of the university is its very own
Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, which brings together artwork
from around the world in order to
showcase different pieces of culture right here in Gainesville.

23. The museum offers the
opportunity to let art-lovers, random passersby, and everyone
that falls in between experience
fascinating collections from different time periods and distant
locations. By doing this, one can
learn about different peoples and catch a glimpse into the lives
of others far different from them.
One such collection is the Harn Museum’s African Collection,
an assemblage of art
representative of the peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa, that is
incredibly and beautifully different
from the culture here in Gainesville.
A Look Into African Art, History and Culture
African art history incorporates a wide variety of different
peoples spread out over the
continent, and with those many peoples come many cultures.
Throughout the course, many
topics discussed originate from the ancient history of Africa,
starting with one of the oldest
pieces of art being found in South Africa: the engraved ochre,
thought to be from approximately
75,000 BCE. As time passed and the people began to slowly
develop through that time, despite

24. the thousands of different peoples, certain common elements
began to arise that persisted for
centuries. These elements included a focus on the human
figure, luster or luminosity
(appearance-wise), a “composed demeanor,” physical
youthfulness and a preference for balance
throughout the art (ArtHearty). Since the Harn Museum’s
African Collection dates back to the
3
5th century, those elements can be seen in variety of different
artifacts located from all over Sub-
Saharan Africa.
Ritual Axe, Yoruba People (Harn), 20th CE
One piece of art in the African Collection that exemplifies some
of the previous characteristics is
the Ritual Axe seen above, originating from the Yoruba people
in eastern Africa. Created for
ritual purposes by the tribe, there are many references to the
different gods of the Yoruba people

25. as a sign of honor, just as many elements of Christianity are
woven into Western culture as well.
The carved wooden handle contains a prime example of the
strong presence of human figures
found in African artwork, as well as perfect symmetry from one
side of the handle to the other.
One question the Ritual Axe brings up, as do many other
artifacts throughout the art
community, is one encountered earlier on in the course: is the
cultural significance of the axe
lessened by being placed in an art museum and declared a piece
of artwork? There is the
possibility that people may appreciate the beauty of the piece
while perusing through the
museum, but may not consider the cultural significance in full
due to it being classified as art.
4
Since the collection is supposed to highlight the diversity and
historical depth of the African art,
one would hope that those going through the Harn would take
the time to learn about the history

26. behind the piece, as that would be the proper way to accomplish
that goal. I believe it is very
possible, as well as probable, to both appreciate the
craftsmanship and recognize the antiquity of
the collection, thus fully taking in the cultural background.
However, that is always up to the
spectators of the art themselves.
Well 4, Chul-Hyun Ahn (Harn), 2007
Some of these characteristics, especially balance and symmetry,
are used in other
cultures’ artwork, such as in ancient Greek and Egyptian
artwork, and are often seen in forms of
modern art today. Located in the Harn’s Contemporary
Collection, Well 4 takes those specific
concepts to an extreme level. Korean artist Chul-Hyun Ahn
manipulates symmetry with a
concrete enclosure, mirror, and light in this piece in order to
create an optical illusion of infinite
space, a topic generally associated with Buddhism (“Harn
Collections”). Through this one can
see the incorporation of a range of different cultures’ elements
of art in order to create an entirely

27. original and provoking piece.
5
Overall, the many aspects of African history contained in the
exhibit allow the
opportunity for people of the different racial and ethnic groups
of Gainesville to learn about a
culture very different from their own, or one from which they
originated from. Seeing as the
second largest group of people in the city are African-
Americans, the collection gives the chance
to learn about their origins and possibly embrace it as well.
And, in a country undergoing a
decent level of racial strife at this time, the white majority can
benefit from the information
presented by learning, appreciating, and accepting the different
culture.
Continuity of African Art
The strength of African culture is exemplified by the continuity
of the before-mentioned

28. themes throughout thousands of years. Earlier in the year, the
question was posed to students in
a focus discussion as to whether modern African-American
artists upheld the characteristics of
their ancestors’ culture through their art. Just like many other
students, I found that many
African-American artists did embrace their heritage and
expanded upon that with the work of
Lois Mailou Jones in her 1971 painting Moon Masque. The
painting is centered around a
traditional African mask by the Kwele people, a mask which
just so happens to be quite similar
to the collection of African masks and headdresses found in the
Harn exhibition “Symbolism and
Ceremony in African Masquerades.”
African masquerades originate from Paleolithic times, and are a
vital part of traditional
culture. Masks would be worn and used for ritual ceremonies to
represent a spirit, generally
pertaining to religion, celebrations, war preparations, and many
other purposes (“African Masks
History and Meaning”). The tradition has been passed down for
centuries throughout the
different African tribes, and still prove to be relevant today as

29. seen in the Harn exhibition. The
masks included were created between the 20th and 21st
centuries, illustrating the continuity of the
6
use. Seen below are two such examples of traditional masks
from two different peoples,
showing the heavy
Chi wara Headdress, Bamana People (Harn), 19th CE
Zogbe Helmet Mask, Vai People (Harn), 20th CE
variety in cultures between peoples all over Africa.
On the left is a headdress from the Bamana People of West
Africa, a group that has some
of its more modern people living in cities and other more
traditional people continuing to live in
rural villages. The piece is worn as a headdress in a ceremony
which honors farmers and the
gods of farming. Note the use of multiple materials throughout
the headdress, including more

30. earthly ones like grass and palm fibers and wood, as well as
metal and cotton as a likely result of
colonial influence. The creature seen in a combination of
multiple animals like the pangolin and
aardvarks, both of which are similar to farmers in their digging
of the earth. Generally, in
ceremony the piece would be worn with an accompanying
costume, as a common theme with
these ceremonies is that the wearer would behave as if they
were imbued with the spirits they
portrayed (Cooksey).
On the right is another mask from the Vai people of southern
Sierra Leone, a tribe that
represents a part of the larger Sande Society. Made simply out
of wood, the helmet mask was
and is used during initiation ceremonies for young women, as it
symbolizes a spirit that is
supposed to watch over women throughout their lives
(Cooksey). The facial characteristics of
7

31. the mask itself will be discussed further in the section below.
This piece too would be worn with
an accompanying costume in order to mimic the full essence of
the honored spirit.
Despite all this continuity, is of no surprise that the majority
African-Americans, or any
other people here in Gainesville whose ancestors have a strong
history for that matter, don’t
particularly follow their ancestors’ cultural norms. Generally,
one does not hear of an African
tribal ceremony occurring out at Plaza of the Americas on an
average day. This is not to say that
there are not those deeply value these cultures and carry them
on – by walking through
Turlington Plaza on an average day, one can usually see a few
different religious or cultural
groups presenting themselves and actively attempting to pique
others’ interests in them. But as
society has grown more modern, many older traditions are
forgotten or replaced by newer values
and interests. Having them presented at the Harn can help to
remember and value these parts of
history.
Social Roles

32. It is without a doubt that the societies of sub-Saharan Africa
and the more modern United
States are and have always been far different from each other.
Though both cultures have
developed over time, the U.S. has advanced far more in terms of
equality and rights, especially
towards women. Here at the University of Florida, there are
approximately five thousand more
female undergraduate students than there are male, symbolizing
that females are given just as
much opportunity at an access for higher education as males
are. Women are able to make
choices for themselves, live on their own, and pursue their own
interests.
A common theme in Africa, however, is the regarding of women
mainly as maternity
figures. A common occurrence in ancient African art is the
creation of female figures with
exaggerated maternal characteristics, to emphasize their role as
primarily caregivers and life-
8

33. givers. One such example, which happens to be a bit more
modern, the Maternity Figure
figurine. The carving, made out of wood, depicts
Maternity Figure, Osei Bonsu (Harn), 1944
a female holding and possibly breastfeeding a child (“Harn
Collections”). This artifact also
exemplifies some common characteristics mentioned before,
including emphasis on the human
figure and luster emanating from the smoothness of the material
used. The primary role of
women as caregivers, though, takes away from their
opportunities to pursue other possible
avenues in life, a commonly fought for entity here in America.
The Zogbe Helmet Mask
mentioned before emphasizes other characteristics commonly
expected for women as well,
including humility, modesty, and respect for men from the
small, closed mouth and downcast
eyes (Cooksey).
Something to gain from the comparison of these different roles
in the different cultures is

34. the realization that, despite advances made in more advanced
parts of the world, including our
very own town, work still needs to be done in the less noticed
areas. Many African women don’t
have access to proper education and employment, with much
lesser opportunities in trade,
industry and government. Art tends to exemplify the values of
the culture from which it came,
and from this art we can learn that areas of the world still lack
what we consider norms.
9
Reflection on the Impact and Importance of the Harn
It is of no question that today’s society is an imperfect one,
with much work needed to be
accomplished in the areas of increasing diversity, recognizing
true equality and the appreciation
of cultures worldwide. However, we as a people here in
Gainesville will have an opportunity to
improve upon it in the next coming years; according to a report

35. by a member of The Associated
Press, the United States is growing more ethnically diverse
every year, with the population of
whites, the majority, growing slower than the current minority
groups (Kellman). By using the
Harn Museum as an example of the assimilation and
appreciation of other cultures we need to
strive for, the University of Florida can spread a great
understanding of diversity throughout its
population. In doing so, there are the hopes of making it a
value held both by all here at the
university and the surrounding areas of Gainesville as well.
10
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Cooksey, Susan. “Symbolism and Ceremony in African
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http://harn.ufl.edu/linkedfiles/educatorresource-
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Kellman, Laurie. “Census: US more diverse, white population
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