Exist Dates
1980 April 18 - 1980 September 1
Biographical or Historical Note
- abstract
- Exhibition. Opened April 18, 1980 and closed September 1, 1980. Located in Section 3, Floor 3 in Gallery 3 at the American
Museum of Natural History. Feather Arts: Beauty, Wealth and Spirit from Five Continents, which featured over 250 artifacts
of featherworking, was a travelling exhibition originating from the Field Museum of Chicago and curated by Phyllis Rabineau.
Summary
Feather Arts: Beauty, Wealth and Spirit from Five Continents, which featured over 250 artifacts of featherworking, was a travelling
exhibition originating from the Field Museum of Chicago and curated by Phyllis Rabineau. (1). As presented at the American
Museum of Natural History, the exhibition was a collaboration between the Departments of Anthropology, Ornithology, and Exhibition
and Graphics (2, p. 12, 37, 49). Some items dated back over 1,000 years. The exhibition also emphasized that many of the birds
whose feathers are used for featherwork were endangered. A related Exhibit of the Month, Papua New Guinea: A Feather in the
Cap, was concurrently on view in the Akeley Gallery (1). The exhibition was promoted through a radio advertisement which featured
Frank Perdue (3) and a demonstration by Dana Moore of the Broadway musical Sugar Babies dancing with feather fans using two
belonging to dancer Sally Rand (4).
Highlights (1; 4):
*Brazilian headdresses
*Feather pins from 19th century China
*Musical instrument from India in the form of a peacock
*Bornean woodcarving of a hornbill
*Specimens of birds used for feathers in the American Museum of Natural History's collections, including a bird of paradise,
quetzal, bald eagle, and scarlet ibis
*Section on featherworking techniques
*Two ostrich feather fans used by dancer Sally Rand, loaned by the Chicago Historical Society
This is a condensed summary of the exhibition. For additional information, see Sources and/or Related Resources.
Sources
(1) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "Feather Arts from Around the World on View at the American Museum
of Natural History." May 1, 1980. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.
(2) American Museum of Natural History. Annual Report. New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1979-1980.
(3) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "Chicken Man, Frank Perdue, is Ad Spokesman for Museum's Feather Arts
Exhibition." May 1, 1980. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum of Natural History Library.
(4) American Museum of Natural History. Press Release. "Sally Rand's Fans Join Museum's 'Feather Arts' Exhibition; Performer
in Broadway Musical 'Sugar Babies' to Show How to Use Them." July 15, 1980. Departmental Records, DR 101. American Museum
of Natural History Library.
For more information on this exhibition see:
"Art: Fine Feathers." New York Times, April 18, 1980.
Brunskill, Joan. "Exhibit Displays Feather Artifacts." AP NewsFeatures, May 25, 1980.
"Cultural Treasures." Promenade (April-September 1980).
"'Feather Art: Beauty, Wealth and Spirit from Five Continents,' an exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in New
York City through September, consists of some 250 examples of the ancient and universally practiced art of featherworking."
Rockland-Journal News (Nyack, NY), June 1, 1980.
Ferretti, Fred. "What to Do Over Labor Day Holiday in Town and County." New York Times, August 29, 1980.
Finston, Mark. Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), April 23, 1980.
"Frank Perdue Turn to Feather Arts." Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN), May 14, 1980.
"Moccasined Feet Tread Fashion's Latest Trail." New York Times, August 26, 1980.
"Museum offers 'feather arts' exhibit." News World (New York, NY), August 3, 1980."Sally Rand's Fan Dance Was Just Science
in Action." New York Times, July 13, 1980.
Trebay, Guy. "Phyllis Rabineau: Wings over America." Village Voice, April 23-29, 1980.
Turner, Patricia. "A visual feast of feather art." Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ), April 26, 1980.