Student Showcase (2021)

A series of small exhibits prepared by CSUSB students through coursework, internships, or employment with the museum:

Metalworking in Nepal, Daniel Zepeda
Nepal is a country that is known for its metalwork. The techniques date back to the 6th century, and have been used to craft products for a wide variety of uses -- from religion to agriculture, and in the current era to support an economy driven by tourism.

Reflections | Jamaica, Margarita Navarrete
These ten sketches are realistic portrayals of abstract concepts and ideas that I studied as a part of the CSUSB faculty-led study abroad program in Jamaica. They were each inspired by an assigned reading.

For the painting, I used a smooth white surface to frame the green chaos it surrounds. The frame creates a picturesque feel. However, the textured green surface in the center brings the life out of the painting. The two-dimensional world is coming to life, taking over the thick frame it is encased by, standing as a metaphor for Jamaica and all other countries oppressed and limited by the Global North. However, their spirit is strong, and it will break the barriers placed upon them. With this simple approach to depict a heavily detailed scene, the viewer is not only looking at beautiful scenery, but they are guided to look more closely. The raised surface of the center is done with gesso at the beginning of priming the canvas before any color is applied. The texture adds lights and shadows that change with the time of day and make the painting more complex the longer it is observed.

What Does it Mean to Be Authentic?, Matthew Lowry
When we use the word “authentic” we often mean that something is “real” or “original” -- like an authentic Mexican taco versus one from Taco Bell. Or, an authentic pair of Armani sunglasses, versus knock-offs. But when applied to cultures, the word “authentic” also seems to mean free from outside influences, unchanging, and produced for local use -- as in an authentic Native American sweat lodge as opposed to those constructed for tourists, or an authentic Malawian winnowing basket woven from reeds rather than made from plastic. This use of the word authentic can be problematic for anthropologists, because people are always interacting, influencing one another, and changing.

The small, landlocked nation of Nepal (Southeast Asia) has a rich history of colorful traditions -- flickering prayer flags, glistening golden figurines, and opulent metal work. Tourists from around the globe travel to Nepal to take in the sights and sounds of the bustling city centers and the mountainous rural terrain. But in recent years many things have begun to change and some are left questioning the authenticity of Nepal’s material culture. Looking at a few examples illuminates as much about the Nepalese people as it does about the roots of our assumptions about authenticity. Is something authentic when it is made for tourists, when it is a reproduction, or when it is made from new materials?

Indigenous Values Decolonized, Lisa Patencio
The Indigenous peoples of the Americas have vastly different cultures and experiences, but they share the historical trauma of settler colonialism. From the 15th century onward, immigrants to the Americas have attempted to eliminate Native populations through disease, assimilation, land dispossession, erasure, and genocide.

But Indigenous people did not disappear. They are resilient.

The Covid-19 pandemic presents a new challenge for Native communities. National data suggest that the death rate from Covid-19 is higher for Native Americans than for any other ethnic group in the United States, and nearly twice the rate of those residents who are white. As of May 2021, one in every 475 Native Americans have perished from Covid-19.

Native Americans will not succumb; they are fighting back. They are using cultural knowledge learned from their elders, their talents, and the entrepreneurship skills to protect the Native population and to safeguard and share their customs, traditions and values.

This exhibit features face masks designed in the wake of Covid-19 by Indigenous artists, fashion designers, activists, and actors of the Americas. These masks offer physical protection from disease, while simultaneously enshrining pan-Native values like generosity, kinship, respect, fortitude, sovereignty, and honesty.

These values continue to transcend cultural boundaries and hold communities together, guide behaviors, maintain traditions, and ensure resilience.

Formed by the Hands of the Southwest, Alcira Mendoza
In the American Southwest, Native American women have long made vessels to store and carry water and food. They were also used for ceremonial purposes. The shape, decorative pattern, and color of these pots offer clues as to who created them. While the pots on display here are contemporary, they illustrate elements of typical Hopi, Navajo, and Santa Clara traditions.

Wellness in Times of Stress, Stacey Lara
We all face some common challenges in life. We worry about falling ill, making ends meet, conflict within our communities, losing our sense of identity, and finding meaning in life. While we all face similar worries, the ways we view and solve these problems are different.

From rituals that involve the entire community, to simple everyday practices, there are ways to maintain a sense of well-being and normalcy during challenging times. The cultural objects used in these practices reflect the ability of humanity to persevere through hardship.

Is it Art?, Haylie Roche
Creativity, innovation, and collaboration are generally encouraged in art. But these criteria are not evenly applied to all artists. This is because many people expect works produced by indigenous artists to adhere to traditional forms and functions. In museum settings it is common to encounter indigenous works of art labeled and treated instead as “artifacts.” The manner in which these works are presented impact how we perceive their artistic qualities. Why the difference in treatment? The simple answer is that many indigenous works do not meet criteria for being labeled as “art” – their artists are unknown, and the objects are less a product of creativity than social function. The more complicated answer is that different criteria are used to categorize “Western” and “indigenous” art. The ways in which these works are encountered by the public can reinforce such disparities.

Indigenous Resistance, Arnold Garza
To resist something is to fight against it. We often think of resistance as something like a boycott or a march, but resistance can also take the form of self-determination. This exhibit considers the active and creative ways in which Indigenous people around the world resist foreign domination through hybridity, adaptation, and pride.

The Legacy of Nancy Smith, Sara Valdez
Allow me to introduce you to Mrs. Nancy Elizabeth Smith. She was born into poverty, orphaned, and lived through decades of racial intolerance. Despite the odds, Smith became a leader in local and federal government and an inspiration to many. You might ask yourself, “Why is Nancy Smith relevant to me?” In addition to Smith working to better the daily lives of the residents of San Bernardino beginning in the 1950s through 1970s, she is an embodiment of the humble origins, high ambitions, and unstoppable drive that is the epitome of San Bernardino.

Beyond Subsistence, Daniel Zepeda
In many places around the world, agriculture is a primary subsistence strategy. Nepal is one such place, with an estimated 80% of the population dependent on agriculture for their livelihood.
The vast majority of agricultural products are turned into food for consumption. However, agricultural products can also be turned into something that serves an entirely different purpose. In Nepal, food is more than nutrition. Agricultural products also enable spiritual worship and the formation and maintenance of social bonds.

Death and Persistence, Keya Soles
Many view death as an ending, but through death might we persist as well? There are many ways in which the physical material we leave behind can take on a new life or purpose. Our legacies can also live on through memorials and memories. We can also persist in a different form, shaped through creative action into something new.

Be it through art, storytelling, or tradition, there are a variety of ways in which the living beings of the past continue on. The items in this exhibit are meant to inspire conversation about how we can persist long after we are gone.
Religion and Cooperation, Kaytlin Howard
There are thousands of religions in the world. Though each is unique, religions converge on their ability to connect followers through common beliefs, practices, and material culture.

Some religions place emphasis not only on unity, but also on cooperation. This value is enshrined and embodied in activities that demand collective action.

Creating Meaning in Nature, Natalie Harden
Everything we make is a modified version of something natural. The physical modifications – from the smallest carved stone, to a steadily placed feather, or wool twisted into yarn – is only the beginning. With these changes also come symbolic and spiritual significance.
Hindu Pantheon, Dr. Kathy Nadeau and Geetha Mandayam, with design assistance from ANTH 4603L
Hinduism is often said to be the oldest religion in the world that is still practiced today. Its origins date back nearly four thousand years to a region in Pakistan known as the Indus Valley. Today, about one billion people practice Hinduism around the world. This makes Hinduism the third most common religion, after Christianity and Islam. While Hinduism recognizes a single God (Brahman) as the foundation of all existence, Brahman is represented through various gods.