Silver Speaks Opens Thursday
Ever wondered how intricate jewelry is created? See it done live at the Arab American National Museum on Thursday, November 15, at the opening reception for Silver Speaks: Traditional Jewelry of the Middle East. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with refreshments and live entertainment in the Museum’s Community Courtyard and a lecture/gallery tour with Silver Speaks collector Marjorie Ransom. Then silversmith Kamal Rubaih of the World Friend shop in the silver souk of Old Sana’a, Yemen, gives a demonstration, followed by a live showing of silver and costumes by young women of Dearborn. To attend this free event, please RSVP at 313.624.0200 or fsaad@accesscommunity.org. Read more about the exhibition HERE.
Famie Documentary Airs Next Month
Award-winning documentary filmmaker Keith Famie’s look at Detroit’s Arab American community is just about ready for its close-up! Our Arab American Story is set to air commercial free on WXYZ-TV Channel 7 at 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 15. It’s part of a series of hour-long documentaries Famie is producing on the various ethnic groups which settled in Detroit. The AANM and its parent organization ACCESS figure prominently in the program; Russell Ebeid, a member of the Museum’s National Advisory Board, is a major funder of the show. Watch a trailer for Our Arab American Story by clicking HERE.
Artifact Spotlight: Lunchbox
Elizabeth Polston of Pinehurst, North Carolina has fond memories of the lunchbox she recently donated to the AANM. “The lunchbox was used by my older brother Ed and myself, and was probably purchased in 1951 or 1952. We shared the lunchbox at school because we had lunch at the same time. My mother would pack moujadara, baked kibbi, cabbage rolls, etc. in one compartment, vegetables in another compartment, bread in another, maybe dessert in one. It proved to be a very useful lunchbox and we used it every day while in elementary school before we left Lebanon for the United States in November 1953.” Click HERE to read about other artifacts at the AANM, or HERE to learn about donating art and artifacts to the Museum.
Marketplace Vendor Deadline Nears
Artists, craftspeople and other creative types – sell your wares to an enthusiastic multicultural audience at the AANM’s 2nd annual International Holiday Marketplace & Fashion Show. Set for 6-9 p.m. Thursday, December 13, this free event includes a variety of multicultural merchandise, complimentary refreshments, music and a live fashion show. Nonprofit organizations may rent a 6-foot table for $30; all others $50. Vendors of culturally inspired apparel also get the opportunity to participate in the fashion show. Table rental deadline is Wednesday, November 21. Call 313.624.0215 for details. Space is limited, so register today.
November 15:
Ford Comerica Global Thursdays: Edmar Castañeda
Combining Latin jazz with traditional Colombian music, Castañeda has carved a firm place in the international jazz scene. A jazz harpist of imposing talent, he transforms the harp into a lead instrument to phenomenal effect. Castañeda produces cross-rhythms like a drummer, and smashes chordal flourishes like a flamenco guitarist. Tickets are $8 for Museum Members and students; $10 in advance at the Museum or by phone with a credit card at 313.582.2266 or 313.624.0215; and $12 at the door.
November 15 & 29:
Free Meditation Sessions
The “Learn to Meditate Series” continues at the AANM at 6:15 p.m. Thursdays until further notice (no session on November 22, Thanksgiving). Come see for yourself why so many people from every culture and walks of life are learning to meditate. Release stress and bring benefits to mind, body and emotions. Become a deeper, brighter person. Look and feel younger. In the Lower Level Classroom. Free and open to the public. Questions? Contact Terry Freel at 248.227.7595 or tlf157@comcast.net.
November 18 & 25:
Free Craft Sundays
Kids ages 6-12 are invited to free craft sessions from 2-4 p.m. on Sundays in November, including the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. On November 18, belts and necklaces will get beaded decorations inspired by a new AANM exhibition, Silver Speaks (see In The Galleries below). And on November 25, bracelets will be made with knots and beads, and a video about Yemen, a jewelry-making hotspot, will be shown. No advance registration necessary; call Lynn at 313.624.0210 with questions.
November 29:
Ford Comerica Global Thursdays: La Chispa & Company
La Chispa (“The Spark”) & Company explores all aspects of flamenco to create a powerful mixture of complex rhythms and haunting melodies. Led by Mexican-born Valeria Montes, aka La Chispa, this Detroit-based troupe offers a breathtaking performance, with live accompaniment, that transports passionate Spanish dance and music to the stage with trademark vibrancy and intensity. Tickets are $8 for Museum Members and students; $10 in advance at the Museum or by phone with a credit card at 313.582.2266 or 313.624.0215; and $12 at the door.
December 6:
Ford Comerica Global Thursdays: Mady Kouyate
Born in Dakar, Senegal, Mady is a descendent of the Kouyate family of Dialolu, oral historians and musicians of Manding traditions, recording the history of West African societies through music and verse. Performing on the 21-string kora, he is a master of the traditional and ancestral heritage of griot. Tickets are $8 for Museum Members and students; $10 in advance at the Museum or by phone with a credit card at 313.582.2266 or 313.624.0215; and $12 at the door.
Through November 25:
Threads of Pride: 
Palestinian Traditional Costumes
Threads of Pride features over 40 Palestinian embroidered dresses and ceremonial costumes from the collection of Farah and Hanan Munayyer, founders of the Palestinian Heritage Foundation of West Caldwell, New Jersey and stewards of the largest collection of Palestinian embroidery in the United States. This exhibition is in the Museum’s Main Floor Gallery.
This exhibition made possible in part by The Wallace Foundation.
Opening November 15:
Silver Speaks:
Traditional Jewelry of the Middle East
Opening Thursday, November 15 at the AANM is Silver Speaks: Traditional Jewelry of the Middle East, featuring selections from the David and Marjorie Ransom Collection. The Ransoms began collecting silver jewelry during their careers as U.S. diplomats in the Middle East, and became amateur preservationists as they investigated smithing techniques and the historical, cultural and social meaning of various jewelry designs. The show runs through March 30, 2008 in the Lower Level Gallery. Click HERE to read more about the exhibition and details of the November 15 opening reception, including a lecture and gallery tour with Silver Speaks collector Marjorie Ransom and a demonstration by a silversmith from Yemen, a jewelry-making hot spot.
Membership
Receive the following membership benefits:
- Free AANM admission plus advance notice and invitations to upcoming events
- Reduced ticket prices for AANM events
- 10% discount at the Museum store
- 10% discount on Museum facility rentals
- Free guest passes
- Ability to borrow books from Museum Library & Resource Center
Call (313) 624-0200 today for your Museum membership or click here
