Gallery Talk: Wrapped for Eternity: Ancient Egyptian “Mummies”

About the Exhibition: This exhibition will explore the enduring fascination with ancient Egyptian art and culture (dubbed “Egyptomania” by 19th-century Europeans) through a selection of paintings, prints, photographs, and decorative art ranging from the early 19th century through the present day. These objects, from the humble to the refined, from the shamelessly commercial to the Afrofuturist, represent the range of artistic responses to – and misconceptions about – ancient Egyptian visual culture.

Paradoxically, this enthusiasm for Egyptian symbols and motifs contributed to the erasure of the ancient Egyptian people themselves, as their beliefs and customs became exoticized in popular memory. The exhibition will examine how these objects reflect the phenomenon of “Egyptomania” over the last two centuries and will position their oversimplified or stereotypical narratives in conversation with current archaeological understandings of ancient Egyptian culture.

The exhibition is curated by Megan Paqua (adjunct instructor of ancient Egyptian archaeology and art history and Fairfield University Art Museum Registrar).

Please note: space is limited and registration is required.

Sponsored by Michael T. Vigario, ‘08, M & T Bank, Wealthspire Trust, Aquarion Water Company, and the Delamar Southport.

Jane Hammond, Spells + Incantations, 2007, lithograph and screenprint in colors with Chine-collé and gold leaf. Fairfield University Art Museum, Museum Purchase 2024, 2024.30.01. © Jane Hammond