The Academy of Lifelong Learning will be viewing art from several cultures in “Kingdom Anamalia: Animals in Folk and Indigenous Art” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday in the Tarble Arts Center.

Artwork in the exhibit will be from countries all around the globe, including Haiti, India, West Africa and the Americas and will focus on the subject of animals both real and imagined.  

The collection will include sculptures, ceramics, paintings, textiles and other forms of artwork. Some of the works included have been loaned from The University Museum, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and private collections.  

Kit Morice, curator for the Tarble Arts Center, said she would walk the Academy through an overview of different geographical areas, cultures, time periods and art media represented in the exhibit.  

Morice will also talk about how animals play a role in the creation of an object, why animals are included in specific pieces of art and answer any questions attendees have.

Some of the pieces in the exhibit include Haitian pieces, contemporary Mexican folk art, traditional and self-taught American folk art or visionary art, pre-Columbian ceramics from Peru, Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico, a small Chinese carving that is hundreds of years old, West African pieces including a wooden chief’s throne and many more.  

“Either the pieces are considered folk art form or were created by a people that are indigenous to a certain region. It really is an international exhibition,” Morice said.  

Morice organizes an exhibit each spring semester. The theme becomes the focus of one of the Tarble’s educational programs for fifth graders in the Charleston community.  

“While it’s also a general exhibition for the Tarble Arts Center, I always have something in mind that will appeal to young viewers,” Morice said. “We also make it international so they’re learning about different cultures.”  

Marita Metzke, project coordinator for the Academy, said she thought the campus was fortunate to have a first-class gallery on campus.  

“We believe the fine arts are an important part of learning about history and culture,” Metzke said. “It inspires people to be more empathetic and educated about those cultures.” 

The program is free and anyone interested in viewing the artwork with the Academy can meet the group at the Tarble Arts Center.  

Abbey Whittington can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]