The Boston art world goes global

Whether you're interested in African war flags, Buddhist carvings, or the Mexican Day of the Dead, the world comes to Beantown this month in a culturally diverse exposition of art from various cultures around the world. Africa, South America, and the Far East are all represented this month in various art galleries and museums across the Boston area, offering a choice of exhibits for interested art fans to visit.



Hamill Gallery of African Art

The representation of the warrior can yield an intense impact: the current exhibit on display at the Hamill Gallery looks at the traditional form of the African warrior as shown through the art of the different peoples of the world's biggest continent. Traditional masks, shields, weapons, iron and bronze figurines, and war flags are all on display here as part of a colorful exhibit that traces the imagery associated with the warrior through a variety of different cultures. Outside the gallery's ground, a large collection of various museum pieces are on display making African art accessible to the community.

Open Thursday through Saturday, 12-6 p.m. Located at 2164 Washington St., near the Ruggles T-stop on the Orange Line. No admission fee.



Busch-Reisinger Museum

The current exhibit at the Busch-Reisinger Museum examines the state of German art at the beginning of the 20th century. Entitled "Before Expressionism: Art in Germany circa 1903," the collection allows visitors to take a closer look at how German artists at the turn-of-the-last-century treated nationalism and symbolism in their work. This extensive collection of drawings and prints helps to provide a snapshot of a specific period of time in German history and culture. Also on display are some pieces which are contemporary to the German ones of display from central and northern Europe.

Open 10-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. Located at 32 Quincy Street, near the Harvard Square T-stop on the Red Line. Admission is $5 with college ID.



Equator Gallery

Unique among New England art displays, the Equator Gallery's exhibits focus solely on Andean and Latin American contemporary fine art. Having recently opened a new branch in Boston, the gallery's collections feature a wide variety of items, ranging from Bolivian textiles and weavings to hand-carved wood reliefs from Luis Potosi, a native Equadorian artist. Those interested in the history of the region will want to make sure to visit their collection of pre-colonial antiquities, and all viewers can marvel at the extensive ensemble of paintings by Latin American artists.

Open 10-6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Located at 450 Harrison in Boston, near the Boston Medical Center T-stop. No admission fee.



Arthur M. Sackler Museum

This month, the Arthur M. Sackler Museum features a pair of collections from the Far East. The exhibit, "Buddhist Art: The Later Tradition," showcases a variety of items from China, Korea, and Japan that demonstrate the artistic principles and ideals of the Buddhist world; a few pieces, including some of their sutras, date back as far as the 8th century. Also on display is "Where Traditions Meet," a long-term installation that is currently in its last month. This exhibit includes a variety of medieval paintings from India, which collectively trace the evolution of Indian painting under the Mughal emperors. The museum also has an extensive permanent collection of Asian, Islamic, and Indian art.

Open 10-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Located at 485 Broadway in Cambridge, near the Harvard Square T-stop on the Red Line. Admission is $5 with college ID.



Starr Gallery

Colliding cultures often bring a new perspective to an artist's work, and the current exhibition going on at the Starr Gallery (hosted by the Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center) examines this very phenomenon. Entitled "An Architect of Memory," the collection features the work of eight Jewish-Argentine artists as they integrate and express the different components of their backgrounds. Painting, sculpture, works of architecture, and prints are all on display here, helping visitors to further explore Argentine and Jewish culture.

Open 12-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 12-2 p.m. Friday and Sunday. Located at 333 Nahaton Street in Newton Center, MA. No admission fee.



Peabody Museum

Celebrations associated with the Day of the Dead date back to the times of the Aztecs, and they come to Boston in a unique way this month through a new installation at the Peabody Museum. The exhibit is available by appointment only, but its altar, constructed with the help of many local Boston-area artists, offers a unique, colorful perspective on the non-traditional holiday. Those interested in Latin American culture might also want to check out the Peabody's extensive archaeological displays, which include detailed models of pyramids and temples.

Open 9-5 p.m., seven days a week. Located at 11 Divinity Avenue in Cambridge, near the Harvard Square T-stop on the Red Line. Admission is $6 with college ID. To make an appointment, call 617-495-2269.