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	MEDIA OFFICE AGK Media Group Agnes Gomes-Koizumi 323 937 5488 agnes@agkmediagroup.com
OUTERWEAR EXHIBIT ILLUSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND TRIBAL IDENTITY AT THE SAN FRANCISCO TRIBAL & TEXTILE ARTS SHOW FEBRUARY 8-10, 2008 Opening Night Benefits the New de Young Museum San Francisco Tribal & Textile Arts Show Fort Mason Centre, Festival Pavilion San Francisco February 8 – 10, 2008 (December 2007 – San Francisco CA) The acclaimed San Francisco Tribal & Textile Arts Show returns to the historic Fort Mason Center on February 8-10, 2008. Considered one of the best Tribal Art shows in the world, The Tribal & Textile Arts Show brings together an impressive array of sculptures, accessories and antiques for both avid collectors and the arts and culture curious. Now in its twenty-second year, the Tribal & Textile Arts Show has grown to become a widely anticipated event. The opening night benefit for the New de Young Museum is firmly embedded in San Francisco’s social calendar. The Tribal & Textile Arts Show not only provides an opportunity to view the world’s best selection of arts; it also celebrates more than 1000 years of indigenous culture, history and allow visitors to interact with some of the most learned and approachable experts in the field. Featuring more than 100 top international dealers from (insert locations), this event offers the public the opportunity to, not only view and purchase historic and rare indigenous art from around the globe. Art and museum-quality artifacts of American Indian, Eskimo, Mayan, Incan and Himalayan peoples are among the many unique pieces on display. Additional featured pieces include Anatolian kilims, Aymara textiles, bark cloth, batik, African and Oceanic sculpture and masks; Central and South American pottery and folk art; Mexican paintings and ceramics; Spanish colonial art; sculpture and weapons from New Guinea; Native American pottery, blankets, beadwork and basketry; Middle Eastern jewelry and textiles; Indian jewelry and weaving as well as Southeast Asian adornment, masks and sculpture. In addition to museum-quality art, a special ‘outerwear’ Tribal art exhibition on display, curated by noted tribal art experts Vichai and Lee Chinalai, of Chinalai Tribal Antiques. Power, Protection, Prestige: Outer Garments - Inner Warmth The San Francisco Tribal & Textile Show will feature a special ‘outerwear’ exhibition curated by Vichai and Lee Chinalai of Chinalai Tribal Antiques. This exhibit explores the layers of meaning and purpose of these garments. Beyond simply offering one protection against the elements, this exhibition focuses on how these pieces relate to tribal identity and one’s individual status within the tribe. In addition, the exhibit addresses the global pressures tribal groups are facing presently. As these groups are exposed to other cultures and customs, clothing as a symbol of tribal identity is losing significance. As Vichai Chinalai states, “Eventually, perhaps even by the mid-21^st century, we won’t see dress, including outerwear, that shows the location, status or occupation of tribal people except in museums or private collections. This is why an exhibit of international ethnographic outerwear with its staggering range of cultural representation, functional significance and aesthetic variety is of importance today” This exhibit will be on display and available for purchase beginning Thursday February 7 at the Preview Gala for the de Young Museum. Opening Night Preview An opening night preview gala for the exhibition will be held on Thursday, February 7, 2008 from 6:00pm-10:00pm. and will benefit the galleries for Art of Africa, Oceania and the Americas and the Textiles galleries in the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. To purchase tickets, or to obtain more information about the gala, please call (415) 750-7656. General admission for The San Francisco Tribal & Textile Show is $15 per person. This event is open to the public on Friday February 8, 11:00am-7:00pm, Saturday February 9, 11:00am-7:00pm and Sunday February 10, 11:00am-5:00pm. There will be no admittance on Sunday after 4:30pm. For more information, please call (310) 455-2886, or visit us on the web at www.caskeylees.com. For press information contact Agnes Gomes-Koizumi AGK Media Group at (323) 937-5488 or agnes@agkmediagroup.com.