Table of ContentsSpotlight: Latin AmericaResilient Visions: Haitian ArtPreserving Treasures: Jamini Roy and Modern Indian ArtWorks CitedAs the University of Florida is home to a large population and diverse, it is no surprise that the Harn Museum of Art, located on the outskirts of the university's campus, successfully captures and represents the diversity found within the university through its global exhibitions. With exhibitions such as the Peace, Power, and Prestige: Metal Arts in Africa exhibition which highlighted the works of African communities, the Resilient Visions: Haitian Art exhibition which featured art from Haitian culture, and Conserving Treasures : Jamini Roy and Modern Indian Art. exhibition featuring works inspired by Indian culture, the Harn Museum of Art reflects and serves as an effective ambassador of cultural diversity in Gainesville.Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayWith minority groups such as Hispanics, African Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans collectively making up 43.3% of the University of Florida's 2019 student population (out of a total of 52,218 students), it is often difficult for minority students and staff to find materials that serve as a connection to their cultural roots (Florida and population). Individuals who fall into this minority category, like myself, often struggle to connect with others when there is a lack of the cultural environment that the individual was accustomed to and grew up in. That being said, the Harn Museum of Art provides a space for students, staff, and residents of Gainesville to observe, learn, understand, and appreciate diverse works of art. The museum allows individuals to connect and learn about diverse cultures, and also allows minority students to view artwork and artifacts related to the cultures with which they identify. As the Harn Museum of Art's mission statement states, “…The Museum brings the joy of experiencing great works of art to diverse academic, community, national, and global audiences through art collections, exhibitions and relevant and enlightening learning opportunities”. The Harn Museum of Art is home to several exhibits that capture this sense of global diversity, ranging from the Haitian Art exhibit to the Latin American exhibit (“About Us | Harn Museum Of Art”). In this article, we will explore these various exhibits and discuss their relationship to the diversity found in Gainesville. Spotlight on Latin America South America is a culturally rich continent that includes several Latin American countries such as Colombia, Guatemala, Ecuador, Venezuela and so on. Since Latin America covers a vast region populated by diverse ethnic groups and is home to approximately 600 million people, it is teeming with a high level of diversity, culture, and tradition. Within this culture and tradition are the dances, foods and tropical landscapes that Latin America is famous for. However, despite the large Latino population, only 20.7% of the University of Florida student population identifies as Hispanic/Latinx (approximately 9,923 students) (Florida and Population). With this small student population combined with the few Hispanic/Latinx influenced areas in Gainesville, it is often difficult for Hispanic and Latino students to connect with Gainesville using their cultural roots. This is where the Harn Museumof Art plays a crucial role. In the past, from November 2016 to November 2017, the Harn Museum of Art hosted an exhibition highlighting and celebrating artists and works from South America. The works ranged from photographs to paintings and focused on various broad themes. One of the pieces featured in this exhibition was created by AngelBotello and was named El Encuentro (“Spotlight on Latin America | Harn Museum Of Art”)[image: ].This piece depicts two groups of people, presumed being Christopher Columbus and natives of Haiti, in a state of conflict. This work contains intricate colors and details, as well as a high level of emotion. Botello, the artwork's creator, was of Spanish-Puerto Rican descent and was known for his use of bright colors and depiction of island life. Throughout his life, Botello traveled to many areas such as Haiti and Cuba, which gave him an understanding of what life was like in various parts of the world. That being said, Botello can act as a cultural medium for many students who identify with Botello and his work. Hispanic/Latinx individuals may feel a strong sense of community with Botello as he is of Spanish descent, and the art he produces is that they are heavily influenced by Hispanic and Latinx culture. Even Haitian individuals can see that their culture is ingrained in Botello's works, as he was heavily influenced by Haitian culture while traveling and living in Haiti throughout his life. In essence, although the Latin American exhibit only has about 50 pieces, many can be taken from a single piece and demonstrate the amount of culture that can be integrated into the artwork exhibited by the Harn Museum of Art. Resilient Visions: Haitian Art Haiti, a mountainous country that is one of the most densely populated in the world, is home to a population of nearly 7 million with an influence on French and African culture. Despite strong ties to these cultures, Haiti is known for following its independence by having distinct traditions in its music, food, rituals, dance, religion and clothing. Haitian culture is said to be distinct from any other African or New World culture. With this in mind, it is fair to say that Haitians are deeply rooted in their culture and hold it in high esteem. However, even with a population of approximately 7 million people, nearly 50,000 of whom leave the country each year for the United States, the student population of those who identify as black/African American at the University of Florida is only 6.6%. 2019 (Florida and population). With only a small influx of students identifying as Black/African American, it can be difficult for individuals to truly connect with their distinct cultures in Gainesville. Despite the lack of representation these students may feel, the Harn Museum of Art considers diverse cultures in art exhibitions and serves as a cultural medium for Haitians and other Africans. In the past, from April 2018 to November 2018, the Harn Art Museum organized an exhibition dedicated to honoring various works of art created by Haitian artists between 1969 and the first decade of the 21st century. These plays revealed much of Haitian culture, revealing what daily life was like for Haitians by discussing historical and political scenes of Haitian life. One of the pieces featured in the exhibition was made by an unknown artist and titled Bottle for Vodou Spirit Damballah, depicting what looks like a snake coiling around a beautifully colored bottle. Haiti, as well as other countries of African influence,are known for their religious belief generally known as "Vodou" (or "voodoo" to the outside world). This religious practice combines Catholic and African beliefs and focuses on healing the sick. This religious practice goes by several names, known as mambo, bokò or gangan, and is held in high esteem as people make pilgrimages to holy sites to practice these beliefs as the religion is considered sacred. As for the snake depicted in this piece, it is called “Damballah” and is considered the life force that created the universe. He is the being believed to help sustain the world and create sources of life. Damballah is said to live in water sources, perhaps explaining why the piece is that of a snake coiled around a bottle, perhaps containing a liquid of some kind. As has been discussed, this piece reveals much about Haitian culture and serves as an effective medium. to teach those who do not know much about Haitian culture, as well as to represent those who identify as Haitian. With the little representation of Black/African American culture found in Gainesville, the Harn Museum of Art plays its part in representing all cultures and serving as a connection between diverse cultures with the exhibits they include in their museum. Preserving the Treasures: Jamini Roy and Modern Indian Art With one of the world's oldest cultures, India is home to more than 1.2 million people and is considered the second most populous country after China. Many consider India to be the world's first and supreme culture with its eccentric religions, foods, textiles, clothing, architecture and art. Despite India's large population, only about 8.3% of the University of Florida's student population identifies as Asian in 2019 (Contributor). With only 3,989 out of 52,218 students identifying as Asian, there is little to no representation of Asian culture in Gainesville (Florida and population). With little or no representation, students who identify with Asian culture may feel “out of place” and unable to connect with their roots and with others. However, the Harn Museum of Art holds several exhibitions highlighting and representing Asian culture. In the past, from March 2018 to August 2018, Harn Museum of Art held an exhibition featuring the works of Jamini Roy, one of the most important and influential artists. figures of modern Indian art. These works of art by Roy, 45 pieces in total, highlight Indian culture and represent those who identify within this Asian ethnicity. Some of the pieces featured in this exhibition were titled Gopini and Saint Francis, which featured individuals wearing traditional Indian clothing. Intricate and colorful clothing is closely linked to Indian culture. With different colors, textiles, fabrics and designs, Indian clothing is known to be eye-catching. Clothing is essential to Indian culture because it allows people to express themselves and represent their culture in traditional ways. In these pieces, the individuals depicted in the paintings appear to be wearing a dhoti, a traditional men's garment worn for special occasions, tied around the waist and hanging near the legs (Contributor). The creator of these works, Jamini Roy, used a traditional style when creating his works, perhaps explaining why he decided to paint individuals wearing traditional clothing (“Biography of Jamini Roy – Jamini Roy on artnet” ). Since Roy was male, he was most likely close to the traditional clothing of themen. Thanks to these pieces, we can tell and show a lot about Indian culture, mainly traditional clothing and the motifs associated with it. The Harn Museum of Art is home to several pieces such as the two discussed above that teach and highlight the culture of various ethnicities and countries, and also give representation to those who identify with the cultures and ethnicities featured. The Middle East is a very large region. which covers regions such as Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, etc. It is home to approximately 300 million people and is home to several cultures such as Turkish, Iranian and Arabic. Historically, the Middle East is considered the "cradle of civilization" and the birthplace of major world religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism ("Introduction to the Middle East") . However, although the Middle East is rich in culture, religion, foods, clothing, landscapes and languages, the proportion of students who identify as Middle Eastern at the University of Florida is not only 3.5% in 2019 (Florida and Population). However, this percentage is a wildly inaccurate representation, as most individuals who consider themselves to be from the Middle East are often considered to be of "white" ethnicity, given that there is no affiliation ethnic specific for Middle Eastern individuals. That being said, not only is there a small Middle Eastern student population at the University of Florida, but there are also Middle Easterners who are not considered Middle Eastern because they are not There is no ethnic origin for that. This paints an inaccurate and unfair portrayal of Middle Easterners, who may feel detached from their culture and origins. However, with the Harn Museum of Art in place to feature exhibits featuring Middle Eastern art and artifacts, people who identify as Middle Eastern can connect to their culture and be represented. In June 2017, the Harn Museum of Art hosted an exhibition dedicated to showcasing fabrics, metalwork, and calligraphy inspired by Arab artists and made in the Middle East region. One of the works was created by Yelimane Fall and was titled Jawartu, Line 22. The work was a painting showing Arabic calligraphy in several bright colors. The Arabic language and script are considered a sacred part of Middle Eastern culture. The calligraphy behind each letter is intricate – including one that I consider intricate and beautiful. Yelimane Fall, master calligrapher, found the beauty of Arabic writing and creates paintings based on the words of the poem "Jawartu", which protects and promotes those who read it. Each of the paintings Fall created illustrates one of the twenty-nine verses found in the ode. Although this piece is composed primarily of calligraphy, it represents an extremely crucial and sacred part of Middle Eastern culture. There is much to learn and appreciate in this work of art alone, as well as the other pieces found in this exhibition. Those who identify with Middle Eastern culture can greatly appreciate this piece and display it, while feeling represented by the Harm Museum of Art. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom EssayWith From the exhibits and art covered in this essay, it is clear that the Harn Museum of Art serves as an effective ambassador for cultural diversity in Gainesville as it holds several works that honor and respect diverse cultures. Minority groups who identify with these different cultures may feel like they are making a name for themselves,.