Mimbres Bowl with Bird Motif

Bowl, 1000-1300 A.D.
Mimbres Culture, New Mexico
Black on white ceramic; 9" diameter
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. James Lodge
Bowers Museum#F81.64.1




Open globular shaped bowls like the one seen here are the most common object associated with the Mimbres people. The culture was active between A.D. 1000 and A.D. 1300 and consisted of about 17 known Mimbres villages centered in the Mimbres Valley, New Mexico. The reason for the abrupt end to the community is unknown. Although the specifics of their ceremonial life are unknown it is believed that it was complex and rich. Mimbres vessels like this bowl are usually white with decorative elements in black painted only on the interior surface. Unique from other Southwest native groups Mimbres pottery is figurative and narrative. Images of animals, birds and humans are depicted either separately or in combination; birds are the most common motif.

The two birds here are unidentified in species but may be quail. Shown in profile the birds mirror each other and this doubling of image is reiterated by the geometric design that peaks toward center. It is unclear if the birds are intended as two separate creatures or if it is the same bird shown twice. The positioning of the legs, open mouths and wide eyes show that these birds are in motion and gives a sense that they are chasing each other. The expressions on the faces of these delightful creatures seem to portray enjoyment. The hole in the center of the bowl is intentional and indicates that the bowl has been "killed." Often Mimbres bowls are found in or near burials and it is not uncommon to find bowls covering the head of the interred. The bowl is ceremoniously "killed" allowing for what scholars have speculated as a way for the spirit to leave the body or possibly to end the functionality of the bowl.

Images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

1906 Chinatown Devastation: San Francisco and Santa Ana?

Most are aware of the devastation brought to San Francisco after the April 1906 earthquake and subsequent fire. This picture clearly shows that the San Francisco Chinatown (as the rest of the city) was obliterated. But few know that here in Santa Ana, only one month later and 100 years ago this week, our own Chinatown was purposefully burned to the ground. Remaining photographs of the Chinatown (near Main and 2nd streets) are practically non-existent; there are none in the Bowers Collection. The Bowers Museum has one receipt for property burned to the ground by S.A. City Council Resolution on May 25, 1906 with seven entries for reimbursement for damages ranging from $5 to $35. This story is recalled in a 1936 article from the Santa Ana Journal which says the following...

Remember Chinatown Bonfire?

By ROCH BRADSHAW

Santa Ana is rapidly approaching the thirtieth anniversary of its great municipal bonfire. And what a fire!
Folks, on May 26, 1906, they burned down virtually a whole block of buildings here. And everyone for miles around came to see the show.
The situation was like this: In the block where city hall stands and where the Temple theatre is now being remodeled, was Santa Ana’s Chinatown. One look at those shanties and the imagination could conceive anything. The general picture was far from pleasant.
Mrs. Nellie P. Tedford, in the Orange County Historical society papers published in 1929, said: “The storekeepers noticed that the cats and dogs and even rats seemed to be hairless around Chinatown; also the sights and smells were loud.”
At that time the late George Edgar, who used to be a grocer here and was famous for doing things in his ouw way, got to going around Chinatown. It was probably about the first time anyone had had the courage to place himself inside one of those shacks. Mr. Edgar took Dr. Clark, the city physician, with him. They saw plenty.
They saw a case of leprosy.
The leper was in a dark, filthy room. He was almost dead. Mr. Edgar and Dr. Clark came away from there. An idea was born in their brains. The next time the city council met, a resolution was presented, ordering Chinatown burned down.
But Mr. Edgar was the only councilman to vote for the resolution.

Chinese Get Hot Tip

That didn’t bother Mr. Edgar any.
Somehow, the Chinese inmates of the shanties received information that it would be more healthy for them on May 26, 1906, if they were not at home. They acted on this hot tip; but they obeyed instructions to leave their bedding, clothing and such articles in the shanties.
The city marshal came into possession of a lot of kerosene. Not having anything better to do with the kerosene, the marshal allowed it to become spread about Chinatown, “where it would do the most good.”

Yes It Caught Fire

When old, dry wood is soaked with kerosene it is pretty hard to keep it from catching fire. That’s what happened in this case. Rumors had spread around town and it happened that there was quite a crowd on hand about that time. When the old shacks began to blaze the volunteer fire department wasn’t far away, either. The firemen protected adjoining buildings.
The only damage done by the fire was to Adolph Butts’ plumbing shop, where the paint on the structure was blistered $36 worth.
Of course the leper was removed before the fire started. He was placed in a hut which was guarded by Red Imes. Red still lives over at Orange. He has been connected with the military life of the county for a good many years.

Chinese Profited

The conflagration and the moving were quite a shock to the unfortunate victim of leprosy and he only lived two days.
As it turned out, the Chinese were better off than before, as a result of the fire. They were given houses near the river, equipped with new bedding and other articles of domestic life, including stoves.
The Chinatown property belonged to a Mrs. Shaffer, and for a time she is reported to have entertained ideas of suing somebody about the fire. It is understood, however, that the matter was settled out of court.

Object of the Week: Edward Kienholz Painting, "Point Pink"

Point Pink, c.1953
Edward Kienholz
Oil on board; 48 in. x 48 in.
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Edwin R. Gamson
Bowers Museum #F80.62.2

Edward Kienholz is best known for his 1960's large scale assemblages of found objects, urban detritus, and knick knacks arranged into environments or tableaux that comment on unpleasant social and cultural aspects of life. Kienholz's assemblages can be described as aged, dingy and opposite from the clean lined Minimalist sculpture that also emerged in the same era. Both styles (Minimalism and Kienholz's Assemblage) were centralized in Southern California and are the results of a turning away from Abstract Expressionism that dominated 1950's American art making.

Point Pink, an oil on masonite, was painted sometime after 1953 when Kienholz arrived Los Angeles and most likely before 1959. Point Pink is an Abstract Expressionistic painting; it is non-representational and created by form and color. It is possible to see the relationship between this early work and Kienholz's later assemblages. Jumbled shapes appear on a multi-planed background; there is a dingy untidiness to them while at the same time their placement is reasoned and intentional. "Kienholz" sigature in block letters can be seen on the bottom right corner.

Point Pink came to the Bowers Museum in 198O's. At that time the Museum was interested in building a contemporary art collection. Though the museum now focuses on cultural arts, Point Pink speaks to the diversity and wealth of our entire collection.

Images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Object of the Week: Cabinet Card of Tom Morris

Photograph of Tom Morris, a world famous sprinter during the 1890's. During the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 Morris exceeded all previous sprinting records. He lived for many years in Santa Ana disappearing suddenly and remaining unheard from for about 25 years. Morris appeared unheralded at Elsinore, where he remained for about three years until he was killed by an automobile in 1940. It is generally believed that the years of absence were spent in incarceration.

This type of photograph mounted on board is referred to as a cabinet card. Cabinet cards gained popularity through the 1860's and were collected for their subject matter and enjoyed for their larger size then the also, then popular carte de visite. Owners would collect not only their family's portraits but also those of celebrities and politicians placing them in cabinets or on furniture so they were visible to occupants within rooms. Because this photo of Tom Morris is black and white it indicates that the photographic paper is a gelatin bromide which is a type of paper that became popular in the 1880's and 90's. The frame of the photograph is typical with gold decorative border and names the photographic studio and photographer, B.F. Conaway at 121 W. Fourth Street, Santa Ana, Ca.

Collection Staff at Getty Villa Colloquium

The Collection Staff spent part of the day at the J. Paul Getty Villa participating in an international colloquium titled Protecting Collections From Earthquake Damage. The staff listened as professional presented papers and lectures on the following topics: Seismic Protection of Museums Using Base Isolation and Damping Systems that discussed new building technology and the very impressive measures for seismic mitigation built into the de Young Museum in San Francisco; Developments in Seismic Protection of Historic Structures and Monuments that focused on seismic mitigation of adobe structures and Byzantine churches with an emphasis on preventative internal structural damages to decoration and frescos; Finalizing the Design of Seismic Isolators for the Getty’s Antiquities Collection that showed the collaborative relationship between engineers, seismologists and the museum’s fabrication team to create isolators for the Villa’s exhibits (including the cost at about $4000 per isolator).

Finally the Villa’s fabrication team delivered Seismic Damage Mitigation for Collections in the Getty Villa presenting specific issues about the Villa’s structures and the exhibits’ seismic mounts. These mounts are designed for worst-case-scenarios. Built into the internal wall structures is an “Art Support Structure” designed of 4 horizontal steel beams connected to 4 vertical steel beams, cases are attached to these internal structures while remaining invisible to visitors. The second story has a reinforced carbon fiber floor with attachment points where connected moveable threaded plates allow for exhibition furniture to be secured. Deciding the inherent weaknesses of objects, before placed on display was discussed as well as the types of mounts the Villa uses in their display cases. The first and most commonly used are Stationary Mounts where the objects are secured to move with the case or base it is on. This type of mount is intended for objects of a robust nature, sturdy and not fragile. They are secured with a difficult to see contour brace, monofilament and clips at the base that are painted to match the object. The second type of mount used is called a Decoupling Mount where a three-leveled isolator is used under the objects to keep the object still as the ground and everything around moves.

The Villa, open again after many years, is more beautiful than ever. Especially enjoyed were the new modern architectural details, the comfortable reading rooms off of the galleries and of course the gardens.

Object of the Week: Shark Caller's Tools

Shark Caller's Tools, 20th century
Kontu culture, Island of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
Wood, reed, bamboo, coconut and paint
Bowers Museum Purchase courtesy of the Trude Jordan Fund
Bowers Museum #2002.65.1-.3

The Kontu people of the Island of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea use ritual customs to capture and kill sharks. Shark Callers believe that ancestral spirits reside within Mako sharks and that they will respond to men who call them under the right circumstances. Men spend three days in spiritual preparation, abstain from eating certain foods, from sex, and anoint their canoes and themselves with specific herbs. Their ritual preparation ensures that any contact with sharks will bring them no harm. When ready, the men climb aboard canoes armed with the physical and spiritual tools necessary to entrap and kill the shark.

Out in the water the men begin to "call up" the sharks by singing as they place and shake a ring of dried and halved coconut shells (called a larung) on the surface of the water. If a shark answers the call it is then coaxed to the side of the canoe where it is caressed before the noose from a propeller-like device is slipped over its head. The propeller is spun to tighten the noose before the shark is dragged on board where it is bludgeoned to death.

Today tourists can experience ritual shark calling themselves for the right price. In Papua New Guinea many of the old customs are mixed with new that were brought from the Catholic missionaries to the islands. Whether or not the ritual preparation will remain part of the shark calling custom is uncertain. The modest size of the propeller and the flimsy gaff on the pole probably indicate that the objects pictured above were most likely made for the tourist trade. Regardless, they give us an insight into an amazing cultural practice from the island of New Ireland.

Text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.