What can one say about an exhibit — Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures From the National
Museum, Kabul — that has been on tour in the U.S. since May, 2008, and on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art*, its last stop, since June 23? Newspapers, magazines and other AJ bloggers have written about this show, too, including Chloe Veltman in Lies Like Truth (here), who described the poignancy:
To stare at the soberly-lit glass cases filled with such objects as a glowing pair of gold shoe soles found in the tomb of a nomadic princess or the smooth clay head of a temple sculpture from the Greek-influenced royal city of Ai Khanum, is to begin to grasp the deep heritage of a country that seems, owing to its near-constant presence in current new headlines, to have no past — just a destructive present.
But I just got there over the weekend, and I am moved to say something about this not-to-be-missed show. Every one of the 200-plus items is stunning. One of my favorites pieces is the ceremonial plaque of Cybele, Greek goddess of nature, riding in a chariot driven by Nike, above.
The only thing I question about the Met’s version is the gallery filled with the “Bactrian hoard” jewelry. Along the upper walls are sweeping photos of the desert, which is ok — though it feels more like a natural history museum than an art museum. The vitrines, however, are set among swirling maze-like partitions that separate them, each section representing a tomb where the objects on display were discovered. The partitions, to me, interrupted the flow, and I almost missed an entire section, which would have been a shame.
Obviously, those are minor objections.
If you haven’t seen this exhibit (with this charming fish-flask from Begram below), and aren’t likely to, take a look at the many online resources. The best slide show is by the National
Geographic here, which as the exhibit’s main organizer has a multi-faceted website devoted to it (here). It has links to related features, including an Afghan songbook, photos of modern Afghanistan, a map, information about the Afghan Children’s Fund, and much more. The National Gallery of Art, where the exhibit made its American debut, has a wonderful, interactive time line here.
Even if you have seen these treasure, these sites are worth your time.
Hidden Treasures remains at the Met until Sept. 20.
Photo Credits: Thierry Ollivier, Musee Guimet
* A consulting client of mine supports the Museum