Polonia w Connecticut: Polish American Traditional Arts, and: Hidden Treasures: Works by Connecticut Master Traditional Artists (review)

The two folk arts exhibitions recently organized in Connecticut illustrate some of the most interesting questions raised by the presentation of traditional visual materials. Apart from the obvious difference that one exhibit focused entirely on one community in one of Connecticut's major cities and the other on a variety of communities located throughout the state, these two exhibits also differed in one important aspect. Polonia w Connecticut was co-curated by a member of the Polish community; Hidden Treasures was curated by a folklorist who is the director of the Heritage Arts Programat the Institute for Community Research in Hartford, Connecticut. These two exhibitions were distinguished from one another by affective and other less tangible factors. The nature of these distinctions has, for a very long time, been part of academic discussions on "etic" vs. "emic," "insider" vs. "outsider," "professional scholarship" vs. "community scholarship," the criticisms that have been levied against such distinctions and terminology notwithstanding.

Polonia w Connecticut contained a range of objects that reflect the intimate knowledge and nuances that only an "insider" can achieve-the process of visually transmitting the range and qualities of a local culture complex. Yet this effort was able to impart the warmth of a home, the feeling of an active tradition, pride, understanding, trust, and intimate knowledge. Bound to the community by its curator and the nature of the objects on display, this exhibit was accompanied by several activities attracting large crowds from the Polish community. Polonia w Connecticut was the best example of an exhibit emanating from a vibrant community while benefiting from the expertise of a folklore specialist. It combined the affective presence of Polish traditional life while retaining the exhibition qualities that made it accessible to a variety of audiences, including clear contextualization through labels and display methods.

Hidden Treasures was a remarkable exhibit of the "best of the best." Master artists were carefully selected to reflect the outstanding artistic achievements of about 20 different ethnic communities. To the surprise of the Connecticut Arts Commission, in whose space the exhibition was located, it drew a considerable and wide variety of intrigued and enthusiastic viewers. Not the least factor in attracting a large audience (the most visited show ever at the Connecticut Arts Commission) was the judicious placing of several pieces that could be seen immediately upon entering the building lobby. The curator had selected large and colorful objects and placed them strategically. Facing an escalator leading to commercial spaces in the building's basement was a beautiful African American quilt by Laura Hudson that could be seen through the glass wall separating the exhibition space from the building lobby.

At the entrance to the exhibit (and equally visible from the lobby) was a Hmong woman's traditional festive attire. The range and quality of objects, the manner of display (objects were displayed on walls and stands, with ample room to roam and view them from all sides), and the enthusiasm on the part of the staff in the exhibition space are tributes to the work done in the state of Connecticut and the professional standing of the exhibition's curator. A Schagticoke talking stick, Russian lacquer paintings, Tibetan religious thangkapaintings, the art of the New England blacksmith, Peruvian and Lithuanian wood carvings, Latvian textiles, and traditional Chinese paper foldings all pay tribute to the traditional hand-crafted objects that endure and grace the lives of those processing the immigration experience, either directly (as is the case of recent immigrants) or indirectly (for those coming from immigrant parents or grandparents). The links between objects; their homeland; those who brought the traditions with them, cherished them...