How much is the Hope Diamond worth? Ask Smithsonian.

Our inquisitive readers are rising to the challenge we gave them last month. The questions are pouring in and we’re ready for more. Do you have any questions for our curators? Submit your questions here.

How much is the Hope Diamond worth? — Marjorie Mathews, Silver Spring, Maryland

That’s the most popular question we get, but we don’t really satisfy people by giving them a number. There are a number of answers, but the best one is that we honestly don’t know. It’s a little bit like Liz Taylor’s jewels being sold in December—all kinds of people guessed at what they would sell for, but everybody I know was way off. Only when those pieces were opened up to bidding at a public auction could you find out what their values were. When they were sold, then at least for that day and that night you could say, well, they were worth that much. The Hope Diamond is kind of the same way, but more so. There’s simply nothing else like it. So how do you put a value on the history, on the fact it’s been here on display for over 50 years and a few hundred million people have seen it, and on that fact it’s a rare blue diamond on top of everything else? You don’t. – Jeffrey E. Post, mineralogist, National Museum of Natural History

What’s the worst impact of ocean acidification so far?- Nancy Schaefer, Virginia Beach, Virginia

The impacts of ocean acidification are really just starting to be felt, but two big reports that came out in 2011 show that it could have very serious effects on coral reefs. These studies did not measure the warming effect of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but rather its effect of making the ocean more acidic when it dissolves in the ocean. Places where large amounts of carbon dioxide seep into the water from the sea floor provide a natural experiment and show us how ocean waters might look, say, 50 or 100 years from now. Both studies showed branching, lacy, delicate coral forms are likely to disappear, and with them that kind of three-dimensional complexity so many species depend on. Also, other species that build a stony skeleton or shell, such as oysters or mussels, are likely to be affected. This happens because acidification makes carbonate ions, which these species need for their skeletons, less abundant.

Nancy Knowlton, marine biologist
National Museum of Natural History

Art and artifacts from ancient South Pacific and Pacific Northwest tribes have similarities in form and function. Is it possible that early Hawaiians caught part of the Kuroshio Current of the North Pacific Gyre to end up along the northwest coast of America from northern California to Alaska? — April Croan, Maple Valley, Washington

Those similarities have given rise to various theories, including trans-Pacific navigation, independent drifts of floating artifacts, inadvertent crossings by ships that have lost their rudders or rigging, or whales harpooned in one area that died or were captured in a distant place. Some connections are well-known, like feather garment fragments found in an archaeological site in Southeast Alaska that appear to have been brought there by whaling ships that had stopped in the Hawaiian Islands, a regular route for 19th-century whalers. Before the period of European contact, the greatest similarities are with the southwest Pacific, not Hawaii. The Kushiro current would have facilitated Asian coastal contacts with northwestern North America, but would not have helped Hawaiians. The problem of identification is one of context, form and dating. Most of the reported similarities are either out of their original context (which can’t be reconstructed), or their form is not specific enough to relate to another area’s style, or the date of creation cannot be established. To date there is no acceptable proof for South Pacific-Northwest Coast historical connections that predates the European whaling era, except for links that follow the coastal region of the North Pacific into Alaska.

William Fitzhugh, archeologist
Natural History Museum

The African Art Museum's film festival takes place every Thursday this month.

Tuesday, February 7 Water Matters

Join Smithsonian experts in Water Matters, an online conference by Shout Learning of Smithsonian Education. Starting on Tuesday, the conference will grapple with all aspects of humanity’s relationships with our most vital resource. The first session, led by Nancy Knowlton, Sant Chair of Marine Science at the Natural History Museum, starts with the question: “What kinds of human interventions can help the health of marine life?” For the full schedule, see Shout Learning’s website. Free. Register to reserve a virtual spot. Sessions 11:00 a.m. to 7:50 p.m. Resumes Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, February 8 Multiplicity Curator Talk

If you haven’t yet gotten over to the “Multiplicity” exhibition at the American Art Museum, here’s a good opportunity to check it off your cultural bucket list. Take a walk through the gallery with curator Joann Moser, who will highlight each featured piece and explain how each artist questions the ideas of rarity and uniqueness in art through repetition, pairing, and variation. Free. 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. American Art Museum.

Thursday, February 9 Touki Bouki

Every Thursday through February, the African Art Museum‘s 2012 African Art House Film Festival showcases African films both classic and cutting edge, from all corners of the continent. This week is Touki Bouki, a Senegalese road movie following two young lovers through their schemes to pay their way to Paris. There will also be a Q & A with film historian Françoise Pfaff of Howard University. Free. 6:30 p.m. Landmark E Street Cinema.

Now that you’ve probably burned through the lists of historians, innovators, and food-writers to follow this year, we’re bringing it back home to the Smithsonian. As always, the Mall is cooking up some fascinating, crazy, and sometimes grotesque stuff for 2012. Bookmark these people and projects to keep up with this year:

Nicholas Pyenson: Pyenson studies and curates fossils of marine mammals. Get a feel for what is going on inside his lab and follow his team into the field—fresh from an expedition in Chile—at his blog, Pyenson Lab.

Postal Museum: Time for a pop quiz: A “hamper dumper” is:

a) machine in postal processing

b) bin of misprint stamps

c) failed mail vehicle

d) philatelic tool.

If you know the answer, you should be following the Postal Museum (@postalmuseum) for their daily #PostalQuiz and other philatelic factoids.

Biodiversity Heritage Library: As part of the Biodiversity Heritage Library consortium, the Smithsonian Libraries collects and digitizes biodiversity research for open online access—essentially, a bio-wiki. Check out @biodivlibrary for the species of the day: plants that eat worms, albino penguins and other bizarre creatures you never knew existed.

Archives of American Art Pinterest: The American Art Pinterest lets you browse the archives and “pin” the images you like to your virtual board. Mix and match from collections like “facial hair of note” and “ain’t no party like an artist’s party.”

Book Dragon: The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program’s Book Dragon is the pet project of former APA Media Arts Consultant Terry Hong, featuring reviews of “books for the multi-cultural reader.” Hong highlights literature for kids and adults alike that speaks to the Asian American experience. Follow her at @SIBookDragon.

Smithsonian Vids: For a moving view of the Institution, follow @SmithsonianVids. Meet a scientist studying frog-eating bats, or get a video tour of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings from Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart.

Smithsonian Marine Station: This Natural History Museum field station, located in Fort Pierce, Florida, tweets news updates and photos from the field (er, coral reef) @SmithsonianSMS. Plus, there’s #followfriday trivia every week.

Field Book Project: Also, from the Natural History Museum and the Smithsonian Institution Archives check out this blog, where researchers post updates on their initiative to compile an online database of field books and journals documenting biodiversity research. Besides progress updates, you’ll also find excerpts of century-old field notes from explorers, birdwatchers and scientists (including lots of fun, old-timey sketches) and learn a lot more than you ever thought there was to know about indices.

Encyclopedia of Life: Take your best shot and enter the picture in the Smithsonian’s Encyclopedia of Life Flickr photo contest. The bi-weekly contest could be (and has been) any theme from “backyard life” to “sexual dimorphism.” Even if you don’t enter, be sure to browse the entries for gems like this.

And of course, if you’re not following them already, the museums are always Tweeting up a storm. Here’s the checklist:

American Indian Museum: @SmithsonianNMAI

National Portrait Gallery: @npg

American Art Museum: @americanart

Anacostia Community Museum: @anacostiamuseum

American History Museum: @amhistorymuseum

Air and Space Museum: @airandspace

Museum of Natural History: @NMNH

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: @hirshhorn

Freer and Sackler Galleries: @FreerSackler

Museum of African Art: @NMAfA

National Zoo: @NationalZoo

Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum: @cooperhewitt

Smithsonian: @Smithsonian

Pianist Alexander Wu performs at the American Art Museum. Photo courtesy museum

Friday, November 11 Without Fear

Come see a classic Soviet film with modern-day relevance. In director Ali Khamraev’s 1972 masterpiece Without Fear, a 1920s Red army officer must grapple with the tension between modernization and Islamic tradition in an isolated Uzbek village. Written by prolific Soviet-American filmmaker Andrei Konchalovsky, it blends engrossing storytelling with political issues. Free, Russian with English subtitles. 7 p.m. Freer Gallery, Meyer Auditorium.

Saturday, November 12 Vicky Leyva

Peruvian singer Vicky Leyva comes to the Smithsonian Institution to perform a fusion of traditional Afro-Peruvian rhythms and contemporary arrangements. Leyva’s music features the lively styles from the coastal plain of Lima, and draws upon the genres of landó, zamacueca, and festejo, reflecting Peru’s rich African and Spanish musical heritage. Free. 2 to 3 p.m. African Art Museum, Pavilion.

Sunday, November 13 Bach to the Future

Innovative and eclectic piano soloist Alexander A. Wu brings his unique approach to the classics. At “Bach to the Future,” enjoy updated versions of Bach, Bernstein, Chopin, Ellington, Gershwin, Liszt, Mozart and more, performed on a Steinway. Free. 3 to 4 p.m. American Art Museum, McEvoy Auditorium

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

Henrique Oliviera's "Bololô," on display in the "Artists in Dialogue 2" exhibition. Photo courtesy of the African Art Museum

Friday, October 21 Craft2Wear Advance Chance Party

Craft2Wear is a unique collection of American-made wearable art by forty artists featured in previous Smithsonian shows, including Alabama-based artist Kathleen Nowak Tucci, recently featured in a Q&A. Come to the advance opening party to get an early shot at these remarkable pieces of jewelry, clothing and other accessories. David Muir, of ABC World News, will emcee this event, which features wine, hors d’oeuvres, music and modeling. Craft2Wear is organized by the Smithsonian’s Women’s Committee and a portion of the sales will benefit the committee’s mission of supporting education, outreach and research projects within the Institution. Tickets to the party are $50; tickets to attend the exhibition Saturday or Sunday are $5 and available at the door. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. National Building Museum, 401 F St., NW

Saturday, October 22 MATCH + WOOD

Experience the interplay between poetry and visual art at this evening event. Poets Ernesto Mercer and Sami Miranda invite the art collective Tres Raices and others to engage with the collaborative works of Sandile Zulu and Henrique Oliviera, whose paintings and installations are featured in “Artists in Dialogue 2.” The event continues the show’s exploration of the dynamic connections between Latino, African and American cultures. Free. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. African Art Museum

Sunday, October 23 Call and Response Drumming Workshop

Melvin Deal of African Heritage Dancers & Drummers leads this interactive workshop. Learn about the drumming history of Go-Go, a DC-based blend of funk and R&B with call-and-response vocals. Bring an instrument—a bucket, bottle, wooden box, whistle or anything else you can jam with—to join in. Free, reservations encouraged at 202-633-4844. 2 to 4 p.m. Anacostia Community Museum

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Online Visitors Guide. Additional reporting by Michelle Strange.

A Yukuben horizontal cap mask blends human and animal features. Photo courtesy African Art Museum

Arnold Rubin, a legendary researcher of African Art at UCLA, spent decades doing fieldwork in Nigeria’s Benue River region. As he discovered the incredible range and beauty of traditional Benue art, he dreamt of creating a comprehensive exhibition to unite the pieces of work that had drifted around the world to various collectors. When he died in 1988, his protégé, Marla C. Berns, decided to take up the mantle.

Opening this week at the African Art Museum, “Central Nigeria Unmasked: Arts of the Benue River Valley” is the show Rubin long imagined. “We really looked far and wide to find objects that would be able to tell the story of the history of central Nigeria,” says Berns, who led a preview tour this week. As the director of UCLA’s Fowler Museum, Berns was instrumental in organizing and curating the landmark collaborative exhibition between museums. With carvings, masks, statues and other ritualistic artifacts, representing 25 different communities along the Benue River—on loan from 47 different private and public collections—the show is nothing less than a sweeping survey course in Nigerian art.

The Benue River is a crucial pathway for both transportation and cultural flow through Nigeria. “We decided to use geography as the primary organizing principle,” Berns says. “It’s as if you were following the ways in which Europeans encountered the river, which is against its flow.” Museumgoers encounter the river’s Lower, Middle, Upper Benue areas, in galleries filled with works that vary between the regions but also exemplify the influences shared between the groups of peoples living throughout the valley.

A Jukun maternal figure, used in fertility rituals. Photo courtesy African Art Museum

The works are simultaneously stunning and unnerving with several depicting an unexpected mixture of human forms with animal characteristics. But what makes many of them so interesting is the way their stylized design reflects the rituals of life throughout the Benue Valley. An enormous elephant mask at the center of the exhibition, which required four staffers to lift it into place in the gallery, was customarily used to demonstrate power. “The elephant is a metaphor for the chief, the chief being the most powerful person in the community, as the elephant is the most powerful animal in the forest,” Berns says. “The masquerades were performed on various occasions to celebrate the power of the chief himself.”

Other examples of traditional culture include wooden representations of animals that were successfully hunted and which were used to prevent the animal’s spirit from seeking revenge. Zigzagging metal wands that resemble both the jagged path of lightning in the sky and the wriggle of snakes before an approaching storm were used to beckon rain for the crops.

From the Upper Benue are a number of ceramic healing vessels, likely made by the Chamba peoples. “They would say an invocation in an effort to draw the disease out of you, into the clay,” Berns says. “That piece of soft clay is then incorporated into a vessel, which is  fired, and the illness is thought to move from the person into the pot.” Each vessel’s design is slightly different, revealing the symptoms healers sought to cure. “This pot, with its long form, was used to cure vomiting, in a kind of emulation of the body gesture involved.”

Scattered throughout the exhibition are video screens, showing many of these rituals in action with objects similar to those on display. The show focuses on works made between the late 19th and late 20th centuries. Some of the customs have been abandoned, but many others have been adapted to fit these communities’ modern social context.

“We produced these videos because it was very important to us that people have a chance to see this part of Nigeria, to see the people who live there, to understand that we’re not dealing with deep history but rather from recent history,” says Berns.

These works are not just reflections of a rich cultural history—they also impart significant information about dynamic traditions thriving yet today. “These art forms maintain their relevance, largely because many have been transformed into forms of entertainment and cultural identity,” Berns said. “They are ongoing, living and breathing traditions.”

“Central Nigeria Unmasked: Arts of the Benue River Valley” will be on display at the African Art Museum through March 4, 2012

"September 11: Remembrance and Reflection," on display through Sunday. Photo courtesy American History Museum

Friday, September 9 Remembering 9/11

View the documentary, 9/11: Stories in Fragments, featuring interviews with victims, witnesses and ordinary people from New York, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The Smithsonian Channel production also focuses on the Smithsonian Institution’s collection of September 11th objects and the stories each artifact reflects, as told by museum curators and donors. Experience the accompanying exhibition and see the film, which will be shown on a continuous loop in the Medal of Honor theater in the Price of Freedom exhibition on the Third Floor East Wing through Sunday. Free. 11 to 3. American History Museum

Saturday, September 10 The Power of the Word

This year, the African Art Museum’s annual Community Day focuses on oral traditions, including modern spoken word, art, dance and film. Storytellers, artists, musicians and many other live performers make this event perfect for the whole family. Free. 1 to 6:30 p.m. African Art Museum

Sunday, September 11 Jazz Piano Competition

Come see some of the world’s most promising young jazz musicians perform at the Theolonious Monk Institute’s International Jazz Competition. At the event, celebrating the institute’s 25th anniversary, 12 semifinalists from around the globe will compete before of a panel of judges, including Herbie Hancock and other noted performers. Tickets are free, and available at the box office on a first-come first-served basis. 1 to 5 p.m. Baird Auditorium, Natural History Museum

It is National Zookeeper week, to celebrate the National Zoo will be hosting a discussion panel with several of the zookeepers Wednesday night. Courtesy of Lisa Ware, Smithsonian National Zoo

Monday July 18 Star Light, Star Bright

Take a trip to the outer limits this Monday by visiting the Air and Space Museum‘s Albert Einstein Planetarium to see Journey to the Stars and learn about the history of our universe. Do you know how a star is made? Now find out as the film shows the birth of a star from hydrogen, helium gas and dark matter. Then learn about the formation of star clusters and how the planets were formed. Watch million-degree corona blasts and the fusion of atomic nuclei. The film plays Monday at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30. 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30. Tickets start at $7 and can be purchased before the show at the box office or online.

Tuesday July 19 Drawing Workshop African Art Style

Get the creative juices flowing this Tuesday.  Meet at the Information Desk in the Pavilion of the African Art Museum at 1 to participate in Come Draw With Us, a demonstration and drawing workshop. Visitors ages 12 and up are invited to engage in the senses by trading in keypads for pencils. A docent will give a brief introduction to the arts and culture of African peoples then visitors can set out into the galleries to sketch, draw, and create other works of art. Afterwards join other artists in a gentle critique of the works. This two-hour event is free but reservations are required so call 202-633-4632 or email africanartprograms@si.edu. All materials are provided and all levels of experience are welcome to participate.

Wednesday July 20 Celebration at the National Zoo

It’s National Zoo Keeper Week and the National Zoo is celebrating with a behind-the-scenes look into the lives of Zoo Keepers this Wednesday night from 6:30 to 7:30. Join a group of panelists as they discuss what Zoo Keepers really do and explain the ins and outs of the work behind-the-scenes that keeps the Zoo running smooth. Listen as the panelists describe research and data findings and hear about the stories of what it really takes to monitor the health and behavior of the animals. Then discover how Zoo Keepers create enriching opportunities for both animals and visitors. After, stick around to meet the Keepers in a special meet-and-greet. The panel will be headed by Brandie Smith—the National Zoo’s curator of the Asia Trail and giant pandas—and will feature the keepers for the primates, pandas, great cats and reptiles. This event is free and is open to all ages.

Thursday July 21 Funk Art!

Spice up Thursday night with a trip to the Kogod Courtyard of the American Art Museum for Take 5!, the museum’s summer concert series. Come to the courtyard at 5 and visit the cafe or borrow a board game to play as you wait for the band to begin. This week, D.C.’s own Funk Art will be performing their soulful music into the night. Led by keyboardist Will Rast, Funk Art’s music draws on the influences of African and Latin dance music scenes of the 1960s and 1970s, including horns and a dynamic rhythm section. Feeling the creative spirit? ArtJamz is setting up a studio during the concerts and registered participants are invited to paint during the show. The concert is a free event lasting until 8, ArtJamz has a registration fee of $40 payable online.

Friday July 22 Mars Day!

This Friday is Mars Day so celebrate the day in style by coming to the Air and Space Museum between 10 and 3. Celebrate the Red Planet with educational and fun family activities. Talk to museum scientists, NASA scientists and Natural History scientists as they speak about their work in Mars research and learn about current and future missions. See a meteorite that fell from Mars and learn what it really takes to plan a mission to the Red Planet. Explore images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter then view a 3D model of the surface of Mars. Afterwards learn about the geologic features of of the planet (Did you know there are volcanoes on Mars?). Head outside to the Public Observatory on the museum’s east courtyard to check out the skies through the telescope. This event is free and happening throughout the museum so visit the information desk or check out the detailed schedule of Mars Day activities.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian Institution events and exhibitions visit the goSmithsonian Online Visitors Guide.

A 1941 Goddard Rocket on display in the Milestones of Flight gallery at the National Mall building. Credit: Photo by Eric Long, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Monday July 11 ExplorAsia

Don’t let your Monday turn into a drag, join the Sackler Gallery for a special look at  The Orchids in Chinese Painting. Come to the exhibition gallery between 1:30 and 3:30 Monday afternoon and journey to China to discover the orchid. Examine ceramic flower containers and the orchid paintings in the gallery.  Then see if you’ve got what it takes as you try your hand at arranging flowers. Look closely at the works of art and then learn about the symbolism of the orchid in Chinese art. Design your own personal symbols or write a family poem as you listen to Chinese music. This event is free and family-friendly so come anytime during the 2-hour block.

Tuesday July 12 Discover Addy’s World

This Tuesday why not try something different? Come to the American History Museum and participate in Discover Addy’s World. Set out on this self-guided tour of the museum and explore life in the Civil War. Addy Walker is a nine-year old girl born into slavery who escapes to freedom with her mother in the Civil War. Follow the tour to learn how Addy lived and discover what life was like for other young African-American girls during the Civil War as you explore artifacts and stories throughout the museum. Bring your downloaded copy of the Self-Guide to the museum, and use it to collect the keep-sake stamps as you follow the tour. After, take the completed guide to one of the museum stores to qualify for a free gift.

Wednesday July 13 Missile Explanation

Come out Wednesday and join the Air and Space Museum staff as they offer the Ask an Expert Lecture Series. Meet at Milestones of Flight on the first floor, Gallery 100, at 12 to hear curator Michael Neufeld speak about the history of the Goddard 1940/41 Rocket. This was one of the most advanced rockets of its time. Equipped with turbo-pumps, it was powered by propellant which was forced into a high pressure combustion chamber. It was also the largest and last liquid-fuel flight rocket tested at Roswell, New Mexico, between 1938 and 1941. Ask Neufeld any questions you have about the rocket, then take your time exploring the rest of the world of rockets, satellites and space flight.

Thursday July 14 Check Out Al Najoom

Make your Thursday a memorable one and stop by the African Art Museum. Come to the pavilion at 2 to watch a performance by the Al Najoom Troupe. The troupe comes from Ja’alan Bani Bu Ali in Oman, Africa, a market town famous for its singers and dancers.  Oman’s traditional music combines aspects of the indigenous Arab Islamic culture with influences from East Africa and Asia and has a long history. Al Najoom, which means stars, is popular for the skill of their dancers, the precision of their musicians and the quality of their singers. The troupe is also known for its energetic and exuberant performances. This is a free event that the whole family can enjoy.

Friday July 15 3-D Adventure

Escape the heat this Friday with a trip to the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater of the Air and Space Museum for a 3D adventure. Hubble 3D takes viewers on a 3D ride accompanying the astronauts aboard the Hubble Space Telescope missions, one of the greatest achievements since Armstrong’s landing on the moon. Watch the astronauts as they attempt some of the most difficult tasks undertaken in NASA’s history. Sit back as you experience launches, project setbacks and daring rescues all as you learn about the infamous Hubble Telescope, one of the most important scientific instruments since Galileo’s telescope. This film has a run time of 45 minutes and plays daily at 12, 2:40, 4:40 and 6:40. Tickets can be purchased at the Box Office prior to the show or online.

For a complete listing of Smithsonian events and exhibitions go to the goSmithsonian Visitors Guide.

Image courtesy of NMAA, SI

Vernon Reid is usually pushing the envelope. The British-born and Brooklyn-raised guitarist is the founder and primary songwriter of the hard rock band Living Colour. But Living Colour isn’t your typical hard rock band—its members are all African American, a rarity in the genre, and their music is heavily influenced by funk and jazz. The band hit it big with its debut album Vivid in 1988, and their Grammy-winning hit single, “Cult of Personality,” from that record. Reid’s versatile style of play and speedy chops propelled him to number 66  on Rolling Stone‘s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

Living Colour has never been afraid to tackle social issues when it came to songwriting, and Reid co-founded the Black Rock Coalition in 1985, an organization designed to encourage the creative freedom of African American artists. This Saturday evening, June 18, at 6:30, Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art presents “Artificial Afrika,” Reid’s current multimedia project that examines the modern mythology of African culture. Computer-generated graphics and images that dilute Africa into the simplest, stereotypical terms, such as famine victims and child soldiers will serve as counterpoint to more modern images of Africa on the video display while Reid provides a soundtrack of live guitar and electronic sounds. Nicole Shivers, the museum’s education specialist, is excited at the prospect of bringing in a work that she says tries to “dispel all the misperceptions of Africa, that it’s not this dark continent.”

I was able to speak with Vernon Reid about his inspiration for the project, his thoughts on the state of African American rock today, and the current status of Living Colour below:

It seems like there may have been a specific catalyst that started you down the road on this project—a visit to Africa, perhaps?

I think that there were several catalysts that inspired it. One thing was the images of Africa when I was coming up. Everything from cannibalism to “Yum Yum Eat ‘Em Up.” Then there are images that are representative objects of black people. Sort of “darky art.” That was another thing. And then there’s a certain way that I was supposed to feel about these things. They were supposed to be shut away. I was supposed to feel ashamed about them. And the sheer absurdity of the representations started to grab a hold of me. It was as if I went to the other side of what that is. I have been to Africa twice . . . . and I was struck by how there was supposed to be an epiphany, the sense of coming home, and that didn’t exactly happen. But what did happen was my fascination deepened . . . . And that’s where it all kind of congealed into the impulse to start making the work . . . . using my Macintosh and some public domain footage and eventually doing my own textures. It’s been described to me as paintings that move, as opposed to linear animation.

Vernon Reid performing in 2008. Image courtesy of Flickr user ildiva

What do you think is the most surprising thing you learned about yourself during this project?

My goodness, that’s a great question! I’ve learned that there is no ultimate answer. That the culture is always going to change, that things that seemed very solid can shift completely . . . . I think for all of us there’s a way we’re supposed to feel about Africa. We’re supposed to be concerned, and it’s a serious situation. And one of the things I’ve had to stay with is that looking at Africa aesthetically is still worthwhile. Even with everything else that’s been happening, aesthetics and beauty, the collisions are still worthwhile to pursue for their own merit because they are still a part of the whole. I don’t think I actually used the footage, but there’s some footage I saw from the BBC about child soldiers. And there’s a bunch of child soldiers literally dancing with their AK-47s. Like they adopted a ritual dance in a march with their AK-47s. And the dance was beautiful. And that’s the thing that struck me. That this is something of aesthetic merit, but it’s also horrible. And the two things coexist. That’s something that I struggled with.

You’re known for pushing the envelope when it comes to guitar style—how do you stay ahead of the curve?

I just try to follow my own impulses toward things that interest me. I’ve been known to use a lot of effects and guitar processing. And my interest in that is kind of multi-faceted. And of course hearing Jimi Hendrix and the things he did with guitar just opened my head completely up to what’s possible. And at the same time, there’s something to be said for the sound of the instrument unadorned. And the kind of effects that can happen with that–extended techniques. It’s kind of a balance between those two things. There are amazing things going on. I always keep an eye towards not just what’s for the moment, but what’s really truly innovative.

You co-founded the Black Rock Coalition back in 1985 to encourage African American rock artists. How do you feel about the current state of African Americans in rock?

You know, I’m not totally satisfied, but I will say that TV on the Radio is a band that I dreamed about back then. Literally, TV on the Radio is the reason why the coalition started. This is what it’s all about. It’s fantastic to me. Could there be more? Should there be more? Yes, but I couldn’t be prouder of that . . . . I think it’s wonderful, and there needs to be much more. And I am very happy with the creativity.

Speaking of music, what’s Living Colour’s current status?

Yeah, we’re literally in a transition, a management transition. We had done a bunch of work with the Experience Hendrix project. We’re gearing up to work on our next record. We are still functioning–or dysfunctioning! (chuckling)

Artificial Afrika will take place in the McAvoy Auditorium of the National Portrait Gallery at 6:30, Saturday, June 25, 2011.

Image courtesy of National Museum of African Art.

Planning on going out this evening, but looking for something a little…different? Then check out the nightlife at the second installment of the “Africa Underground“ events series at the National Museum of African Art from 7 to 11. There will be a feast of activities for the senses at this West Africa-meets-Caribbean themed night.

Lively up yourself as Kurow and the All Stars lay down a live reggae groove to start things off, and then get a little funkier as DJ Spyda spins Caribbean and West African beats into the later evening. Check out traditional African dance numbers performed by the Farafina Kan dance troupe and drummers. And the Moko Jumbie stilt dancers? They’ll most likely be doing things that will make my knees hurt just thinking about it.

But if you do have to sit down for a bit, you can take a break and listen to some traditional West African and Caribbean storytelling, and learn a few fashion tips at Yehie Moudou’s African textile headwrapping demonstration. And don’t worry, there will be specialty themed cocktails and finger foods available to keep you going.

The first “Africa Underground” event, which had an Africa meets Brazil theme, was a sold out, so make sure you order your tickets in advance here! As a little preview, I spoke to Yehie Moudou about the art of traditional African headwrapping below:

How did you learn the art of headwrapping, and how long have you been practicing the art?

I was born and raised in Africa before my family sent me out to live abroad, so it’s kind of the culture of a young girl to learn to wrap her head growing up for different occasions and different seasons. Headwrapping is a language, actually. It’s a way of communicating. To me, you cannot talk about Africa or African culture without talking about headwrapping.

What exactly does the headwrap symbolize or represent?

For an African woman, the headwrap says her age, her status and it communicates her wealth, which is different from status. Status is matriarchal position, and wealth is a woman who is very well-off. Two women can have the same status or they can both be matriarch. But sometimes you will have a matriarch who has wealth and one that doesn’t. And the headwrap communicates that clearly to the African society. That’s why I have to communicate that headwrapping is a non-verbal communication in African society. It’s a way, just like a tom beat will tell a village at dusk that it’s time to listen to the elders. The headwrap of a woman walking down the street will tell you if she’s a widow, a grandmother, or if she’s a married young woman.  It’s an element in the daily living of an African woman.

What types of materials do you use for the wraps, and do you stick to certain colors?

Yes. We go with bright and shimmery colors, basically. [Sometimes] satin, but mainly cotton based material. In Africa the weather allows, or does not allow, leeway for most material. We go with cotton-based material because it’s comfortable and available and affordable.

And which wrap styles will you be doing Friday night?

I will cover different kinds. When Africa is spoken about it’s usually vague and unstructured. Africa covers so many cultures and tribes and languages, it’s a variety of headwrapping that’s readily available. What I’m going to do is touch on a couple of different styles that are particular to West Africa. You will have a style from Mali, a couple from the Ivory Coast, one from Benin, and the coast of Nigeria as well.

And can these be translated into everyday fashion for the average woman?

Absolutely! The headwrap is still in style. You will have a grandmother wearing a dashiki cloth with a headwrap, and her granddaughter will wear the same headwrap with a pair of jeans in a different style that still communicates the same femininity of an African woman. It’s timeless and still trendy.

"In the Garden (Celia Thaxter in her Garden)" by Childe Hassam

April is National Poetry Month, so to honor the words and songs of famous poets, the Wednesday List is all about poetry. Scattered across the Smithsonian museums, here are a few of the most influential and famous poets you already know, as well as a few newcomers whose work you may want to get familiar with. (Posted in chronological order by their birth, not by relative awesomeness)

1. Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 – April 27, 1882)

Most famous for leading the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century, Emerson’s more notable works include Nature, Self-Reliance and The Poet. Emerson, who spent his career lecturing and writing, published 10 collections of poems and essays and corresponded with other famed poets such as Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Daniel Chester French sculpture of Emerson is located in the American Origins exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery.

2. Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809-October 7, 1849)

Best known for his poem “The Raven,” Poe’s poems were often about death and mourning— dark subjects and imagery— compared with the optimism of the early culture in America at that time. Although “The Raven” became a popular sensation after it was published in The Evening Mirror in 1845, Poe died a poor man. But diehard Poe fans don’t have to wait another year to visit his grave on the anniversary of his death. Instead, see a portrait of the man in the American Origins exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery.

3. Walt Whitman (May 31, 1819-March 26, 1892)

Often called the “father of freeverse,” Whitman is most famous for his book Leaves of Grass.  Though many viewed his work as obscene and profane at the time, Whitman is regarded by many as “America’s poet” for his ability to write in a uniquely American character.  His portrait by John White Alexander is located in the American Origins exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery.

4. Celia Thaxter (June 29, 1835 – August 25, 1894)

Born in Portsmouth, New Hampsire in 1835, Thaxter became the hostess of her father’s hotel, the Appledore House, where she entertained and welcomed famed poets such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Sarah Orne Jewett. Her first poem called “Landlocked” was published during a 10-year period where she lived away from her beloved islands and on the New Hampshire mainland.  Her poems appeared in The Atlantic Monthly and she later became one of the country’s favorite authors. In the Smithsonian American Art Museum, a painting by Childe Hassam depicting Thaxter in her garden is found on the East wing of the second floor.

5. Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – February 9, 1906)

Dunbar was a poet who gained national recognition in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with his poem “Ode to Ethiopia.”  His parents escaped slavery in Kentucky and fled to Dayton, Ohio where Dunbar grew up the only African-American student at his high school. After publishing two books of his standard English and dialect poems, he combined them to form Lyrics of a Lowly Life and rose to international literary fame. The portrait of Dunbar by William McKnight Farrow is also located in the American Origins exhibit in the National Portrait Gallery.

6. E.E. Cummings (October 14, 1894-September 3, 1961)

E.E. Cummings became famous for his poetry during the first half of the 20th century after working as an essayist and portrait artist for Vanity Fair magazine. Though Cummings’ body of work includes about 2,900 poems and various forms of writing such as plays and novels, his drawings and paintings are seldom explored. Located in the Hirshhorn’s online collection, you can view many of these overlooked works.

7. Malangatana Ngwenya (1936-2011)

Malangatana Ngwenya is an artist best known for his brightly-colored murals and canvases. In his work, the Mozambiquen painter depicts powerful subjects like the trauma of armed conflict and revolution, as well as the small pleasures of daily life and the triumph of the human spirit. One such painting, Nude with flowers, 1962, on display at African Art, also reveals Ngwenya’s “hidden” talent as a poet. On the back of the painting, he has handwritten “Poema de Amor,” a love poem which is a little too racy to print in these parts.

8. Joane Cardinal-Schubert (1942-2009)

You may have to dig deep to find the poetry of multimedia Blackfoot (Blood) artist Joane Cardinal-Schubert, her poems encompassing but a part of her  artistic repertoire, which included writing, curating, directing videos, painting and drawing. You can see some of Shubert’s work, which focuses largely on Native history, social injustice and environmental concerns at the American Indian Museum exhibition “Vantage Point.”

9. Nora Naranjo-Morse (b.1953)

While you’re at the American Indian Museum, make sure to check out the clay pottery of Santa Clara Pueblo artist Nora Naranjo-Morse, on display in the landscape area along the Maryland Avenue side of the museum. Born into a family of mostly women potters and visual artists, Morse focuses her work on the connection between pueblo people, their land and the clay they use to build on that land. Morse is also a sculptor, writer, film producer and poet, whose collection Mud Woman: Poems from the Clay combines poetry with photographs of her clay figures.

BONUS! 10. Phillis Wheatley

Born in Gambia, Senegal, Wheatley was enslaved as a child and grew up in Boston, where she learned to read and began writing poetry. In 1773, Wheatley published Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, becoming the first published black woman poet. The book also made Wheatley famous and her success led to her eventual emancipation. A bronze life-size bust of Phillis Wheatley, by celebrated artist Elizabeth Catlett, is part of the collection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, though not currently on display. Created in 1973, the bust marked the 200th anniversary of the publication of Wheatley’s book and Catlett’s interest in the feminist movement of the 1970s.

–With additional reporting by Arcynta Ali Childs

All Smithsonian Institution museums and the National Zoo are Open. Photo by Eric Long

All Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are open.

Don’t miss out on all the events and happenings, all scheduled as planned. Tarantula feedings at the Natural History Museum. A special tour of the Kinsey Collections at American History. An Earth Day celebration at the American Art Museum.

And here’s a list of all the exhibitions that are on view.  For the first time, the Freer Gallery’s renowned Peacock Room has been restored to its appearance in 1908, when the museum’s founder Charles Lang Freer used it to organize and display more than 250 ceramics from all over Asia. The new exhibition, The Peacock Room Comes to America, debuts today.

Other don’t-miss exhibitions and landmark Smithsonian artifacts like the Hope Diamond, Julia Child’s kitchen, the Ruby Slippers, The Wright Flyer, The First Ladies exhibition can be found at the following Smithsonian museum locations:

• The Smithsonian Castle
• The Carousel on the National Mall
• The Ripley Center and International Gallery
• The National Museum of American History
• The National Museum of Natural History
• The National Air and Space Museum
• The Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia
• The Smithsonian American Art Museum
• The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
• The National Portrait Gallery
• The Freer and Sackler Galleries
• The Hirshhorn Museum
• The African Art Museum
• The National Museum of the American Indian
• The National Postal Museum
• The National Zoo
• The Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York City
• The George Gusav Heye Center in New York City

This weekend marks a special time for Smithsonian visitors and the Institution’s spokesperson Linda St. Thomas expressed her delight that the museums were all open for business this weekend:  “People have planned for months, or a year or more, for their spring visits to Washington, which always includes visits to the museums and the Zoo. If it were up to us, we would never shut down. That’s why we are only closed one day a year—Christmas Day.”

Of course spring time is also is presenting Smithsonian photographer Eric Long with some of the most exquisite visual opportunities, enjoy this gallery before gearing up to head out.

Pro Arte Playing Schoenberg (1907) by Prentiss Taylor. Image courtesy of the American Art Museum.

Tuesday, February 22: Sketching: Draw and Discover: Luce Foundation Center for American Art

Come be inspired by the works on display at the American Art Museum and then spend some time sketching at the Luce Foundation Center’s workshop. Free, but bring sketchbooks and pencils. American Art Museum, 3:00-4:30PM. This event repeats every Tuesday at the same time and location.

Wednesday, February 23: Art and Science Lecture Series: Tom Lovejoy

In conjunction with the exhibition Alexis Rockman: A Fable for Tomorrow, the American Art Museum presents a lecture series that places the science of climate change within a cultural context. The series invites leading environmental scientists to discuss the problems our planet faces, while experts in cultural fields consider how art can heighten awareness of these issues. Tonight’s guest speaker is Tom Lovejoy, the biodiversity chair at The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment. Free. American Art Museum, 7:00 PM.

Thursday, February 24: Slavery by Another Name with Author Douglas A. Blackmon

Wall Street Journal writer Douglas A. Blackmon discusses his Pulitzer Prize-winning historical study Slavery by Another Name: The Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II. This book brings to light one of the most shameful chapters in American history when a new form of slavery came into being following the Civil War. Government officials leased falsely imprisoned blacks to entrepreneurs, farmers and corporations looking for cheap and abundant labor. And in the process disenfranchised hundreds of thousands of African Americans until the dawn of World War II. Book signing follows. Free. American Art Museum, 7:00-9:00 PM.

Friday, February 26: Shanghai Quartet with Wu Man on pipa

The critically acclaimed ensemble performs Lei Liang’s Five Seasons for string quartet with Grammy Award nominee Wu Man on Chinese lute (pipa), as well as Beethoven’s Quartet in D, op. 18, no. 3, and Schumann’s Quartet No. 1, op. 41, no. 1. Free. Freer, 7:30 PM.

For updates on all exhibitions and events, visit our companion site goSmithsonian.com

Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira, photo courtesy of the museum

Artists in Dialogue II, the second in a series held at the National Museum of African Art that pairs two artists from distinct parts of the world and asks them to create works in conversation with one another, features South African artist Sandile Zulu and Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira.

Meeting for the first time over a year ago, Zulu and Oliveira, who work with fire and wood, respectively— two elements that would seem dangerous when used in tandem— quickly found common ground. “The commonality that we seemed to share in terms of our creative imagining is our fascination with the body, biology, science,” Oliveira said, themes that are reflected in their works. They kept in touch via email, Skype and with exhibit curator, Karen Milbourne. “Their works are a call and response,” she said.

South African artist Sandile Zulu, photo courtesy of the museum

Sandile Zulu, “working with universal themes in a vocabulary of minimalism,” created works, including: Large Colon (y) Brownprint—a histopathological case (2010), Old bones, Old genes—a population groups case (2010) and Spinal Diagnosis—a regenerate case no. 1 (2010) that reflect an interconnectedness between the human body and society. In his piece Spinal Diagnosis—a regenerate case no. 2 (2010), Zulu experimented with Oliveira’s material, flexible plywood, to draw parallels between the two. “Because the spine is the backbone of an individual, this symbolic association is that if an individual has got a healthy backbone, he is stable or she is stable,” Zulu said. “By extension, the society is stable.”

Zulu, who came of age in the 1990s, chose fire, a seemingly untameable, uncontrollable element, intentionally. “The use of fire was important to me because of the political situation in South Africa then,” he said, referring to the inequalities that existed for decades under apartheid. Coming to terms with being one of the few black art students during that tumultuous time was a process. “I had to look for visual language about my own understanding of philosophy of art and practice,” he said.  “The actual act of burning was a revolutionary suggestion to me.” Zulu now incorporates the other three elements— water, air and earth— in his artwork as well. His use of fire allows him to “work with a destructive force in a creative fashion to allow for healing.”

Henrique Oliveira started out as a painter 14 years ago and began making installations in 2003. His painting Untitled (2005) symbolizes the vocabulary he brought into the dialogue. His newer works, including the painting Blue Abyss (2010) and his two installations, which protrude from the gallery’s walls, continue the conversation. Oliveira layered weathered strips of wood (tapumes) to create Bololô (2011) and Xilonoma Chamusquius (2010), on which he also experimented with Zulu’s medium of fire. Oliveira likens his technique of layering to “a DJ that samples sounds and combines them into another element.”

Oliveira initially used plywood found on the street and in dumpsters because it was “iconic of poverty,” as experienced in his native Brazil. The use of wood in his art references the situations of those existing on the periphery of cities like Sao Paulo, who make their homes wherever they can— favelas and shantytowns— and with whatever material they can find. In Oliveira’s hands, the wood, initially rigid and unyielding, is bent and shaped into something new, “like a Frankenstein,” he said. “I take the discarded pieces and remake it.”

Neither Zulu nor Oliveira care to assign specific meanings to their works. “I’m not going to dictate the meaning on a one to one level of each piece,” said Zulu. Instead, they invite viewers to make their own connections. “Being open to many ways of understanding, that makes it interesting,” said Oliveira.

“What we see or do not see as African or Brazilian isn’t the point,” said Milbourne. Perhaps engaging in what the museum director, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, calls, “multi-logues, lots of us talking to each other,” is.

The African Art Museum invites viewers to join in the conversation via twitter, by uploading questions to the artists on YouTube, using their first mobile exhibit app (in both English and Portuguese) or by joining them in person at “Africa Underground,” an after hours event at the museum this Friday night.