Metals/Materials/Culture

Curated by students in UVM's Museum Anthropology seminar course from objects in the Fleming Museum's permanent collections, this exhibition examines metal as a material and how it has been decorated, shaped, and utilized across cultures for tools, decoration, weapons, and exchange. Metal objects in the Museum's collection range from everyday household items such a water jug from India to decorative objects for the elite such as elaborate headdresses and jewelry from different cultures. Processes highlighted include engraved metals, filigree work (objects made with metal wires coiled and pieced together), ajouré (perforations or cuts made in objects to create open patterns), casting (in which metal is melted and poured into a mold), and metals shaped and altered through other methods. Examples in brass, silver, and copper show how metals in their purest forms, and in combination, have been used across time and in diverse cultures to create objects prized for their beauty and durability.