Harn Museum curator to speak on African healing, divination

February 20, 2007

GAINESVILLE, Fla. –– The Harn Museum of Art’s curator of African art will give insight to Africa’s systems of healing during a gallery talk at 3 p.m. on Feb. 25. Susan Cooksey will explore the aesthetic, multisensory and complex qualities of objects used in traditional and contemporary healing practices in Africa, which is explored in the Harn’s newest exhibition, “African Arts of Healing and Divination.”

The traditional concept of health in Africa is holistic, encompassing body, mind and spirit. Many types of specialists may be enlisted to help overcome an affliction, including diviners and healers. “African Arts of Healing and Divination,” on display at the Harn Museum from Feb. 20 to June 24, explores individual curing techniques and materials that change with the cultural, religious, political and ecological landscapes. This exhibition looks at the viability of ancient systems of healing in Africa today, and the integration of traditional practices with Western medicine.

Cooksey became the Harn Museum’s curator of African art in 2006 after serving two years as the associate curator. She has held various positions at the Harn Museum since 2001 and worked as a curatorial assistant for the University of Iowa’s Museum of Art from 1997 to 1998. Cooksey holds an MFA from the University of South Florida, a master’s in art history from the University of Florida and a doctorate in art history from the University of Iowa. Cooksey is also board member and editor for the Arts Council of the African Studies Association. In 2006 she curated “Highlights from the African Collection, Ceramic Reflections: Ceramic Vessels” from the Harn Museum Collection and “Resonance and Inspiration: New Works by Magdalene Odundo.”

Admission to the Harn Museum of Art is free. For more information about programs and events, call 352-392-9826 or visit the Web at www.harn.ufl.edu.