IndexSpotlight: Latin AmericaResilient Visions: Haitian ArtPreserving Treasures: Jamini Roy and Modern Indian ArtWorks CitedAs the University of Florida is home to a large and diverse population, It is no surprise that the Harn Museum of Art, located on the outskirts of the university campus, successfully captures and represents the diversity found within the university through its global exhibitions. With exhibitions such as Peace, Power, and Prestige: Metal Arts in Africa which highlights the works of African communities, the Resilient Visions: Haitian Art exhibition which showcased the art of Haitian culture, and Conserving Treasures: Jamini Roy and Modern Indian Art exhibition that showcased works inspired by Indian culture, the Harn Museum of Art reflects and serves as an effective ambassador of cultural diversity in Gainesville. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay With minority groups such as Hispanics, African Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans collectively making up 43.3% of the University of Florida's student population as of 2019 (out of a total of 52,218 students), it is often difficult to minority students and staff find means that serve as a connection to their cultural roots (Florida and Population). Individuals who fall into this minority category, like myself, often find it difficult to connect with others when the cultural environment that the individual has been accustomed to and grew up with is missing. That said, the Harn Museum of Art provides a space for students, staff and Gainesville residents to view, learn, understand and appreciate various works of art. The museum serves as a ground where people can connect and learn about various cultures, as well as allow minority students to view artwork and artifacts related to the cultures with which they identify. As stated in the Harn Museum of Art's mission statement, "...The museum brings the joy of experiencing great works of art to diverse academic, community, national, and global audiences through art collections, exhibitions, and opportunities for relevant and enlightening learning". Inside the Harn Museum of Art there are several exhibitions that capture this sense of global diversity, ranging from the Haitian art exhibition to the one on Latin America ("Who we are | Harn Museum Of Art"). In this article we will explore these different exhibits and discuss their relationship to the diversity found in Gainesville. Spotlight: Latin America South America is a culturally rich continent that includes several Latin American countries such as Colombia, Guatemala, Ecuador, Venezuela, and so on. Since Latin America covers a vast region filled with various ethnic groups and is home to approximately 600 million people, it is filled with a high level of diversity, culture, and tradition. Within this culture and tradition are the dances, dishes and tropical landscapes for which Latin America is best known. However, despite the large Latin American population, only 20.7% of the University of Florida's student population identifies as Hispanic/Latino (approximately 9,923 students) (Florida and Population). With this small student population combined with the few areas with Hispanic/Latino influence in Gainesville, it is often difficult for Hispanic and Latino students to connect with Gainesville using their cultural roots. This is where the Harn Museum of Art plays a crucial role. Previously, from November 2016 to November 2017, the Harn Museum of Art held an exhibition highlighting and celebrating artists and works native to South America. The works ranged from photographs to paintings and focused on various themesgeneral. One of the pieces exhibited in this exhibition was created by AngelBotello and was called El Encuentro ("Spotlight: Latin America | Harn Museum Of Art")[image: ]. This piece depicts two groups of people, presumably natives of Christopher Columbus and Haiti, in a state of conflict. This work has intricate color and detail embedded within it, as well as a high level of emotion. Botello, the creator of the artwork, was of Spanish-Puerto Rican descent and was known for his use of bright colors and depiction of what life was like on the island. Throughout his life, Botello traveled to many areas such as Haiti and Cuba, which gave him an understanding of what life was like in various areas of the world. That said, Botello can serve as a cultural medium for many students who identify with Botello and his work. Hispanic/Latino individuals may feel a strong sense of community with Botello as he is of Spanish descent, as well as the art he produces is heavily influenced by Hispanic and Latino culture. Haitians may also find their culture rooted in Botello's works as he was heavily influenced by Haitian culture as he traveled and lived in Haiti throughout his life. Essentially, despite the Latin American exhibit only having about 50 pieces, a lot can be gleaned from just one piece and demonstrates the amount of culture that can be incorporated into the artwork that the Harn Museum of Art puts on display. Resilient Visions: Haitian Art Haiti, a mountainous country that is one of the most heavily populated in the world, has a population of nearly 7 million people with an influence on French and African culture. Despite having strong ties to these cultures, Haiti is known for pursuing its independence by having distinct traditions in music, food, rituals, dance, religion, and clothing. Haitian culture is said to be distinct from any other African or New World culture. With this in mind, it is fair to say that Haitians are deeply rooted in their culture and hold it in high regard. However, even with a population of approximately 7 million people, of which nearly 50,000 leave the country each year for the United States, the student population of those who identify as Black/African American at the University of Florida is only 6, 6% at the moment. 2019 (Florida and population). With only a small influx of students who identify as Black/African American, it can be difficult for people to truly connect with their distinct cultures in Gainesville. Despite the lack of representation these students may feel they have, the Harn Museum of Art takes various cultures into account in art exhibits and serves as a cultural medium for Haitians and other African individuals. In the past, from April 2018 to November 2018, the Harn Museum of Art held an exhibition dedicated to honoring various works of art created by Haitian artists from 1969 to the first decade of the 21st century. These pieces revealed much of Haitian culture, revealing what daily Haitian life was like and discussing historical and political scenes of Haitian life. One of the pieces displayed in the exhibition was created by an unknown artist and titled Bottle for Vodou Spirit Damballah, depicting what appears to be a snake coiling around a beautifully colored bottle. Haiti, as well as other countries with African influence, are known for their religious beliefs typically known as "Vodou" (or "voodoo" in the outside world). This religious practice combines Catholic and African beliefs and focuses on healing the sick. This religious practice goes by several names, being known as mambo, boko or gangan, and is held in high regard as people make pilgrimages to holy sites to practice these beliefssince religion is considered sacred. As for the serpent shown in this piece, it is called "Damballah" and is believed to be the life force that created the universe. It is the being that is believed to help sustain the world and create sources of life. Damballah is said to live in water sources, perhaps explaining why the piece represents a snake wrapped around a bottle, perhaps containing a liquid of some kind. As has been discussed, this unique piece reveals a lot about Haitian culture and serves as an effective means of teaching those who don't know much about Haitian culture, as well as representing those who identify as Haitian. With the poor representation of Black/African American culture found in Gainesville, the Harn Museum of Art does their part in representing all cultures and serving as a link between various cultures with the exhibits they include in their museum. Treasure Preservation: Jamini Roy and Modern Indian Art With one of the world's oldest cultures, India is home to more than 1.2 million people and is considered the second most populous nation after China. Many consider India to be the world's first and supreme culture with its eccentric religions, foods, fabrics, clothes, architecture and art. Despite India's large population, only approximately 8.3% of the University of Florida student population identifies as Asian in 2019 (Contributor). With only 3,989 out of 52,218 students identifying as Asian, there is little to no representation of Asian culture in Gainesville (Florida and Population). With little or no representation, students who identify with Asian culture may feel “out of place” and unable to connect with their roots and others. However, the Harn Museum of Art hosts several exhibits that highlight and represent Asian culture. In the past, from March 2018 to August 2018, the Harn Museum of Art held an exhibition showcasing the works of Jamini Roy, one of the most important and influential artists and figures of modern Indian art. These artworks by Roy, 45 pieces in total, highlight Indian culture and give representation to those who identify with this Asian ethnicity. Some of the pieces shown in this exhibition were titled Gopini and St. Francis, which showed individuals wearing traditional Indian clothing. The intricate and colorful dresses are closely linked to Indian culture. With various colours, fabrics, textures and patterns, Indian clothing is notoriously known for grabbing attention. Clothing is central to Indian culture as it allows people to express themselves and represent their culture in traditional ways. In these pieces, the individuals depicted in the paintings appear to be wearing a dhoti, a traditional piece of men's clothing worn for special occasions that is tied around the waist and hangs near the legs (Contributor). The creator of these pieces, Jamini Roy, used a traditional style when creating his artwork, perhaps explaining why he decided to paint individuals wearing traditional clothing (“Jamini Roy Biography – Jamini Roy on artnet”). Since Roy was a man, he was most likely close to traditional men's clothing. Through these pieces you can tell and show a lot about Indian culture, mainly about traditional clothes and the models associated with it. The Harn Art Museum holds several works such as the two discussed above that teach and showcase the culture of various ethnicities and countries, as well as represent those who identify with the cultures and ethnicities presented. The Middle East is a very large region covering areas such as Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco and so on. It is home to an estimated 300 million people and encompasses diverse cultures such as Turkish,Iranian and Arab. Through a historical perspective, the Middle East is considered the "cradle of civilization" and the birthplace of major world religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism ("Introduction to the Middle East"). However, despite the Middle East being rich in culture, religion, food, clothing, landscape and languages, the percentage of students who identify as Middle Eastern at the University of Florida is only 3.5% as of 2019 (Florida ePopulation). However, this percentage is an extremely inaccurate representation as most individuals who consider themselves Middle Eastern are often considered to fall under the "white" ethnicity as there is no specific ethnicity for Middle Eastern individuals. That said, not only is there a small student population of Middle Eastern students at the University of Florida, but there are Middle Easterners who are not considered Middle Eastern because there is no ethnicity for that. This provides an inaccurate and unfair description for Middle Easterners, who may feel detached from their culture and background. However, with the Harn Museum of Art in place to showcase exhibits containing Middle Eastern art and artifacts, people who identify as Middle Eastern can connect to their culture and be represented. In June 2017, the Harn Museum of Art held an exhibition dedicated to showcasing textiles, metalwork, and calligraphy inspired by Arab artists and made in the Middle East region. One of the pieces was created by Yelimane Fall and was titled Jawartu, Line 22. The work consisted of a painting showing Arabic calligraphy in several bold colors. The Arabic language and script are considered a sacred part of Middle Eastern culture. The calligraphy behind each letter is intricate, one of which I consider complex and beautiful. Yelimane Fall, who is a master calligrapher, found beauty in Arabic writing and creates paintings based on the lyrics of the poem "Jawatu", which protects and promotes those who read it. Each of Fall's paintings illustrates one of the twenty-nine lines in the ode. Although this piece is mostly composed of calligraphy, it represents an extremely crucial and sacred part of Middle Eastern culture. There is much to learn and appreciate in this work of art alone, as well as the other pieces featured in this exhibition. Those who identify with Middle Eastern culture may appreciate this piece and display it greatly, as well as feel represented through the Harm Museum of Art. Please note: this is just one example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay With After the exhibits and art discussed in this essay, it is clear that the Harn Museum of Art serves as an effective ambassador of cultural diversity in Gainesville as it holds several pieces that honor and respect various cultures. Minority groups who identify with these different cultures may feel as if they are gaining reputation through the artwork displayed in the Harn Museum of Art. Even those who do not identify with these cultures and ethnicities can learn a lot from the artwork displayed in the Harn Museum of Art. Although Gainesville is a small city with few culturally diverse areas for minorities to connect with, the Harn Museum of Art is and will continue to be a representative area in Gainesville. That said, the Harn Museum of Art has a clear connection between the cultural demographics and cultural diversity found in Gainesville and at the University of Florida. Works Cited “About Us: Harn Museum of Art.” Who we are | Harn Museum of Art, harn.ufl.edu/about.Botello, Ángel. “El Encuentro di ÁngelBotello.” El Encuentro by Ángel Botello on Artnet, Aguttes,,.