Spring/Summer 2017 • Vol. 2, Issue 13 Treasure of Sioux City awards presented ioux City Histor- ic Preservation SWeek included a special recogni- tion at the Peirce Mansion on Friday, May 12. The Sioux City Historic Pres- ervation Commis- sion presented their annual Treasure of Sioux City Awards to the Peirce Mansion Com- 1893 mansion after the mittee and former Curator of Museum moved to an History Grace Linden. expanded facility in downtown Sioux City in Linden worked at the Sioux April 2011. Since then, City Public Museum for 20 open house events years before retiring in 2015. have been held on a Linden continues to volunteer near quarterly basis to at the Museum and works showcase the progress Left: Bob Coacher, chair of the Historic Preservation occasionally on weekends at of restoration efforts. Commission, presented a Treasure of Sioux City award to Grace Linden. Above: Coacher joined the Peirce the Museum’s front desk. Volunteers maintain Mansion Committee for a photo after the presentation. the home and are The Sioux City Museum hosts for rental events such as Vice President Don Duzik ac- & Historical Association’s weddings, birthday parties, cepted the award on behalf Peirce Mansion Committee graduation receptions and of the Peirce Mansion Com- started renovations of the company events. Association mittee volunteers. Inside: Page 2 - Vibrant Bounty: Chinese Folk Art Page 3 - Above: The 1934 Duck Stamp is from the Shaanxi Region showcases colorful featured in the exhibit, The Hidden Works of artwork like these Baby Tiger Shoes, n.d., Jay N. “Ding” Darling. Page 4 - Right: A col- cotton, embroidery thread, 3 1/4 x 3 1/4 x 5 orized image from the Museum’s collection 3/4, private collection. Photo: E.G. Schempf. on display in the Ho-Chunk Centre atrium. The Sioux City Public Museum collects, preserves, and interprets cultural and social history with an emphasis on Sioux City and the region. GRAND OPENING Experience the history of Sioux City like never before! You are invited to celebrate the grand opening of the new Sioux City Public Museum. Explore state-of-the-art interactive displays, engaging permanent exhibits, rare Sioux City artifacts and so much more. Please join us on this history-making day as we present ÒOur New MuseumÓ to the community. WHO: Sioux City Public Museum WHAT: Grand Opening Ceremony & Ribbon Cutting WHEN: Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. WHERE: 607 4th Street Director’s Report by Steve Hansen Spring into summer! We have two incredible temporary City Public Museum is a com- enjoyed a great spring at all exhibits and a wide range munity meeting place. sites with school tours, pro- of programming that should grams, walking tours and whet your appetite. Our guests continue to be special exhibits. Attendance amazed with our facilities has been very solid and we This summer we have joined and often wonder out loud have witnessed an increase with Downtown Partners to how we can offer so much. in out-of-town groups, which host “Downtown Live,” a The answer is that we have has been particularly reward- series of concerts formerly an incredibly talented staff ing as we know the word is known as “Friday’s on the and a core of very dedi- getting out that we have an Promenade.” Due to con- cated volunteers. It takes a outstanding museum. struction issues, the event strong team to consistently had to be relocated. We offer quality programming As our spring programming agreed the concert series and as the director I am very winds down, we are prepar- could be held on the Mu- fortunate to have this team. ing for a busy summer sea- seum Plaza starting on June son. As you read through the 1 through July. This is just one I am looking forward to the newsletter, you will see we example of how people are summer season and hoping have a full slate of classes, recognizing that their Sioux to see you soon! Chinese folk art featured in exhibit xperience the folk art ExhibitsUSA description: By depicting scenes of labor from an area of China As brilliant as the petals of a within lavish pastoral settings, Ethat shares the unique lotus and as bold as a spring the paintings celebrate the Loess landforms with western storm, these folk paintings farmers’ unity amidst the im- Iowa as the Sioux City Pub- and artifacts of rural China mensity of nature. The arti- lic Museum presents Vibrant reveal a national spirit that facts in this exhibition reveal Bounty: Chinese Folk Art from is as charming as it is vital. a humanity that aids in un- the Shaanxi Region. Orga- derstanding a people half a nized by ExhibitsUSA, a pro- world away. gram of Mid-America Arts Al- liance, the exhibit will be on Vibrant Bounty: Chinese Folk display June 17 to August 6. Art from the Shaanxi Region invites visitors on a journey “The art and the objects through Shaanxi Province, featured in this exhibition are one of the cradles of Chinese a wonderful introduction to civilization. The capital city, a region of China, which, like Xi’an, was once the Eastern the Midwest, is dominated terminus of the ancient Silk by agriculture,” said Steve Road, and is famous for its Hansen, Museum Director. ancient ruins, most notably “Through these paintings and the Mausoleum of Qui Shi the artifacts that accompa- Huang and his Terracotta ny them, we gain a greater Army. In an area outside of understanding of the cus- the city’s center lies Huxian toms and culture of a people Zhihui Fan, The Pomegranate Reddens in (or Hu) County, where, since who share a similar agrarian August, 1985-1991, tempera on paper, the 1950s, local artists have 31 1/4 x 21 3/8, private collection. lifestyle.” © Zhihui Fan. Photo: E.G. Schempf. (continued on next page) Traveling exhibit explores Darling’s life xplore the extraordi- up in Sioux City and started nary life and career of his career at the Sioux City Exhibit-related Ea famous Sioux Cityan Journal. programs whose reach extended to Programming related to journalism, politics and con- “We are pleased to be host- various aspects of Darling’s servation. The national travel- ing this national traveling amazing life will be held at ing exhibit, The Hidden Works exhibit in remembrance of a the Museum throughout of Jay N. “Ding” Darling, is Sioux Cityan of such stature,” the exhibit’s run. Humanities now on display at the Sioux said Steve Hansen, Museum Iowa is sponsoring “The Art City Public Museum through Director. “The scope and of Conversation, a Visit with August 13. breadth of his talent, creativ- Ding Darling” with Tom ity and influence is uniquely Milligan on Sunday, June 4 The exhibit features the works captured through the variety at 2 p.m. and personal artifacts of the of rare artifacts on display.” pioneering conservationist, Curator of History Matt creator of the Duck Stamp Jay N. “Ding” Darling pro- Anderson will present the and two-time Pulitzer Prize lifically produced images History at High Noon pro- winning cartoonist who grew of caricatures, landscapes, gram, “The Life and Career and people containing in- of Sioux City’s Darling” on credible detail, both in black Thursday, July 20 at 12:05 and white and bold colors. p.m. based on the slide Among the never-before- show presentation that is seen artifacts on display are part of the exhibit. Darling’s camera from his days as a young local report- An event with exhibit de- er and his personal scrap- veloper Samuel Koltinsky is Jay N. “Ding” Darling’s life and legacy has been the subject of two films and several book of his Sioux City Journal being planned for the after- publications of his prints and cartoons. (continued on next page) noon of June 25 as well. (continued from page 2) been producing objects simi- The artists use shui fen (paint The artifacts included in this lar to the twenty-five paint- powder and water—similar collection expose the audi- ings and fourteen objects to gouache or tempera) on ence further to Chinese rural found in Vibrant Bounty. This thick paper to create the life and they show, in detail, tradition has achieved great paintings. While Huxian peas- traditional Shaanxi customs. renown in China, culminating ant paintings depict ordinary They range from children’s in the state Ministry of Culture aspects of people’s lives, the clothing and toys to New awarding Huxian the honor- vibrant colors emanate from Year’s prints and decorative ary title of a “Village of Chi- an animated atmosphere, household items, often em- nese Modern Folk Painting” and are only enriched by fre- broidered with lucky figures in 1988. quent hyperbole and moral and animals. Not only are connotations. Festivals, pa- they carefully handmade These peasant, or farmer, rades, the harvest, music, vil- and beautiful, they also hold paintings are closely related lage traditions, farm animals, symbolic wishes for good to the traditional Chinese winter, kitchen work, and luck, good marriage, and arts of embroidery, batik (a children are all celebrated in good health. fabric dying method), pa- these paintings. per-cut, and wall painting. Showcasing images from the Museum’s collection ave you ever noticed Ho-Chunk Centre/Blue Earth Stoney Creek Inn all of the places where Jackson Street Brewing Co. United Center/CMBA Hhistoric Sioux City pho- Lewis and Clark Interpretive Wells Fargo, Downtown tographs are displayed in the Center (Various Exhibits) community? Or have you Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA Outside of Sioux City, photo- seen photographs in a favor- Perkins – Downtown graphs are showcased in the ite book or magazine article? & Eastside African American Museum Sioux Guitars of Iowa in Cedar Rapids and The Sioux City Public Museum Southern Hills Mall (continued on next page) provides photographs from its collection for a small fee.