When: closing January 15, 2018
The Sackler has been closed for renovations for several months, and I was very happy to see it reopen. This was my first visit back to my favorite museum, and I noticed one change in particular.
The show I saw dealt with representations of cats in Egyptian art, and it was a good, fun exhibit. Great for fans of Egyptian art, cat lovers and art enthusiasts generally, I enjoyed myself there.
Note: contrary to popular belief, Egyptians did not worship cats; rather, they identified certain qualities of cats with specific gods. They were intrigued by the duality of feline nature: on the one hand, nurturing, on the other hand, aggressive. Much better to be the beloved kitten than the hunted prey.
I noticed a photograph by Eliot Elisofon at the beginning of the show and remembered the exhibit of his works at African Art. There was also an actual cat mummy on display - you don't see that every day.
The thing that struck me was the change in the wording of the wall notes. I feel as if the language was simpler, less scholarly. Perhaps it's just for this one show, as it might draw more children? Perhaps it was my imagination? I'll have to watch closely at future shows...
Verdict: So glad to have the Sackler back, and the montage of modern-day cats was a nice touch at the end.
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