FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael DeFlorimonte
michaelD. communications
michaeld@michaeldcommunications.com
415.203.9801
Media Website and Images: http://bit.ly/jH0725

Media Preview: Friday, October 5, 2012, 10:00am - 3:00pm

Opening Reception: Friday, October 5, 2012, 7:30pm-9:00pm

Press Release online: http://bit.ly/NB4x36

 

San Francisco, California - August 28, 2012 - For 30 years, Xavier Guerrand-Hermès of the renowned Paris-based fashion empire collected both stunning North African jewelry and historic late 19th- and early 20th-century photographs by some of the region's most prominent photographers. Highlights from the collection will be featured in an exhibition at the Museum of the African Diaspora opening on October 5, 2012. "Desert Jewels: North African Jewelry and Photography from the Xavier Guerrand-Hermès Collection," will continue through January 23, 2013.
 
Organized by the Museum for African Art in New York, the exhibition was previously on a national tour which included the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art.
 
"The Xavier Guerrand-Hermès Collection shows a mastery of technique and design that is unparalleled as well as an extraordinary commitment to collecting these irreplaceable jewelry and photographs for current and future generations to enjoy," said Grace C. Stanislaus, Executive Director of the Museum of the African Diaspora. "We're presenting the collection at MoAD as one in our new Collector's exhibition series of important local and national collections and as a unique opportunity to feature and explore the people and culture of North Africa, especially because so much focus in the West has been on West African art and culture."
 
"Desert Jewels" features 94 pieces of spectacular jewelry and 28 photographs from Algeria, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia that were collected by Guerrand-Hermès, a director and vice chairman of Hermès of Paris. He represents the fifth generation of the family to be involved in the ownership and management of the Paris-based firm.
 
"We are excited about this combination of jewelry and photography, which we expect will have broad cross-cultural and generational appeal. The photography is a wonderful supplement to the eye-catching and coveted jewelry, and also gives us a glimpse of daily life in 19th century Africa," said Kimberly Brandon, Board Chair, Museum of the African Diaspora.

Featured Jewelry and Photographs
Crafted from combinations of silver, coral, amber, coins and semi-precious stones, the exquisite collection includes wedding necklaces, hair ornaments, bracelets, earrings and fibula used to keep veils in place. The pieces represent the inventive compositions and dazzling creations of North African jewelry designers and silver workers. North African jewelry came to the attention of Western collectors in the 19th century, the period when archaeological monuments in North Africa were being explored, visited and, in some cases, pillaged.
 
The most important photographers of the day are represented in the exhibition, including Scotsman George Washington Wilson, the Neurdine brothers from France and the Turkish photographer Pascal Sabah. They, and others, visited the region and photographed landscapes, architecture, markets and people adorned in jewels. Many of the images were used as postcards, while others remained hidden in private collections.
 
Educational Programs
In conjunction with the exhibition, the museum will offer a series of programs and films highlighting various aspects of the collection. Call (415) 358-7200 or visit www.moadsf.org for a complete schedule of public programs.
 
Catalog
A full-color catalog, with contributions from art historians Tina Loughran and Cynthia Becker, accompanies the exhibition.
 
About the Museum of the African Diaspora
Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) showcases the history, art and the cultural richness that resulted from the dispersal of Africans throughout the world with innovative and engaging exhibitions, education and public programs. Incorporated in 2002 as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, MoAD opened its doors in 2005 in space contiguous with the St. Regis Hotel and Residences and in the historic Williams Building at 685 Mission Street at Third. MoAD was conceived as a cornerstone of the revitalization of downtown San Francisco, and has become an anchor with its neighbors San Francisco MoMA, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Children's Creativity Museum (formerly Zeum) and Contemporary Jewish Museum, in making this dynamic cultural corridor a premier destination.
 
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Museum of the African Diaspora
685 Mission Street (at Third), San Francisco, CA 94105 | www.moadsf.org | 415.358.7200
Museum Hours
Wednesday-Saturday: 11:00 am-6:00 pm | Sunday 12:00-5:00 pm | Monday-Tuesday: CLOSED
Admission Prices
General Admission $10; Students and Seniors $5; Members and Children 12 and under w/adult FREE
 
MoAD is easily accessible by Muni, BART, Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans, and Caltrain. Hourly, daily, and monthly parking is available within 1 - 2 blocks of the museum