ROCHESTER, NY (AAPNW)- Going on view Sunday, November 20, 2022 at the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester, “Striking Power: Iconoclasm in Ancient Egypt” will be an exhibition that examines the patterns of organized campaigns of destruction inflicted on ancient Egyptian works of art for political, religious and criminal reasons.
Viewed through the lens of spiritual and ritual practices, Striking Power will showcase thirty-nine works that examines the patterns of damage to images from these destruction campaigns. The exhibition illustrates how damage to a statue can be interpreted to reveal who broke it and the motivation behind the destruction.
“The idea that these sculptures were damaged intentionally in order to remove their power adds a significant dimension to the understanding of this fascinating culture, and a new and intriguing way to look at extraordinary objects that have survived for thousands of years,” says MAG’s curator of European art and the presenting curator for the exhibition Nancy Norwood.
The ancient Egyptians believed that deities, as well as the soul of a deceased human, could inhabit stone, wood or clay images, allowing these supernatural beings to have a presence in this world. In ancient society, religion and politics were inseparably linked to powerful ties to political leadership.
Just as the image could be activated by rituals, it could be deactivated through selective destruction of key features. The exhibition takes as its starting point the question that many ask when they see ancient sculpture why are the noses broken on Egyptian statues.
These features included specific body parts and royal or divine symbols. Because the activated image was conceived as a body for a supernatural being, the power in the image could be harmed by intentionally damaging its form. Scholars call this type of damage iconoclasm.
For more information, call 585.276.8900 or online at: www.mag.rochester.edu.