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WE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO JOIN US THIS WEEKEND On Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3, 11am - 5pm For the Creation of a Sand Mandala of the Medicine Buddha By the Tibetan Monks of the Drepung Gomang Monastery, India, For the Healing of the World & Specifically Earthquake-Ravaged Nepal Please Note: Material Culture will Donate a Portion of all Sales this Weekend to Relief Efforts in Nepal! Free, Open to the Public, Unlimited Free Parking, Children Welcome

Please Join Us For A Very Special Cultural Celebration and Performance Of Traditional Tibetan Dance, Lively Debate, Chanting, Prayer and Meditation By the Tibetan Buddhist Monks Of Drepung Gomang Monastery, India Saturday, April 11, 2PM, FREE Everyone Welcome, Bring Kids! PERFORMANCE PROGRAM: WELCOMING HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA AND OFFERING OF MANDALA. According to Tibetan custom, if His Holiness in not physically present, his holy portrait is displayed to symbolize that he is nevertheless the Chief Guest at the function or gatherings. At the same time, one offers all that one values in the Universe by reciting prayers, and visualizing that one is offering these to the guru or lama. TASHI SHOLPA (Good Luck Dance). Tashi Shoelpa is the oldest opera company in Tibet. This dance originally appeared in a dream of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama in 1645 and was performed during the enthronement ceremony of Fifth Dalai Lama. The performer wearing the white-beard mask represents Saint Thantong Gyalpo, the founder of Lhamo/Tibetan opera, who reputedly lived for 140 years and also symbolizes long life and good health. Lhamo/opera conveys the teachings of Lord Buddha through historical reenactment. The purpose of this very dance is to bring good luck and good omens specially to inaugurate [...]

Material Culture Presents: The Afghan Peace Rug Project For the past 30 years, Afghan war rugs have been highly valued and internationally collected as pieces of modern folk art. These rugs, woven by Afghan village artisans since 1979 following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, depict images of the wars and conflict that have been a trademark of this country for the past three decades. In an effort to both revitalize the Afghan economy and reshape its image from one of war to one of peace, Material Culture has partnered with a group of village rug producers in Afghanistan to launch the Peace Rug Project. Working with the same village artisans who have been weaving images of tanks, guns and hand grenades for years, the Peace Rug Project has challenged these artisans to leave behind this imagery and weave instead images of peace. Small, folk-art sized wool carpets using natural dyes and depicting images of flowers, birds, animals, village life, and all manner of personal expression, have begun to emerge from Afghan villages and Material Culture is proud to bring them to the international market. This series of unique, one of a kind rugs, each depicting the weaver's vision of the peaceful [...]

Exhibition, November 22nd-February 28th, 2015 Selections from the Isabella de la Houssaye and David Crane Collection The population of Africa is one of the most diverse in the world with more than 3000 distinct ethnic groups and over 2100 spoken languages. Prior to colonization, each of these ethnic groups had distinct customs and artistic traditions that were reflected in both their costume and currency. Although these ethnic groups are now organized into "countries" and many have adopted western dress and traditions, to truly understand the political and cultural history of Africa you have to have some understanding of the different ethnic groups that populate these countries. This exhibition attempts to illustrate visually through items of traditional costume and currency the differences and similarities among many of these African ethnic groups. It examines how artistic and cultural traditions informed the costume and currency of the different tribes while also exploring what the costume and currency communicated about the people who wore/used it. Prior to trade with the Europeans, traditional costume was made primarily from materials at hand—leather from animals, hand-woven textiles, textiles made from natural fibers, feathers and seeds, and objects fabricated from metals. The use of beads to make and [...]

Material Culture Proudly Presents: Nicholas Toth, The Last Helmet Maker Award Winning Artist and National Heritage Fellow, Nicholas Toth, Presents a Gallery Talk and Exhibition Gallery Talk, Saturday, July 19, 2pm Exhibition, July 16-19 Free, Open to the Public Exhibited Items Available for Purchase As the guest artist and Master Helmet Maker, Nicholas Toth will be showcasing his copper and brass art work and his masterfully designed copper and brass diving helmets. As a highly skilled metal artist and craftsman, Nicholas has been featured both nationally and internationally, with his work included in permanent museum exhibits and national archives. Nicholas is a National Heritage Fellow, receiving this prestigious award in 2003 from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2006 he was recognized by the Historical Diving Society US Chapter for his significant contributions, receiving the ER Cross Award. In 2008 he was awarded the Florida Folk Heritage Award, presented by the Department of State, Division of Historical Resources and in 2012 Nicholas was once again honored by the State of Florida, receiving his second Florida Individual Artist Fellowship. With over 30 years of experience and a lifelong exposure and immersion in the culture and mysteries of the historic gulf [...]