Canning House, London. 9-26 November 2010
The tour of Easter Island, Myths, and Popular Culture started with the advance exhibition, which was staged in Canning House, London, between 9 and 26 of November 2010. The event was formally opened by Cristián Léon, Cultural Attaché for the Embassy of Chile, London, and followed by a welcome from Dr Ian Conrich. The opening was a special evening event with a reception and was attended by close to 100 people.
The exhibition was designed to give a taster to the London public and media of the full exhibition which would later travel internationally to three major museums. Whilst in London it was accompanied by a guest talk given by Ian Conrich at the British Museum on 4 November, and an international symposium, Easter Island: Cultural and Historical Perspectives, which was held at the Chilean Embassy on 19 November. The symposium was attended by renowned international specialists in the fields of anthropology,
archaeology, linguistics, international relations, and cultural studies.
Both the exhibition and the symposium attracted a large crowd of visitors and delegates. The large moai carvings, made especially for the exhibitions, greeted visitors at the entrance of both venues. Canning House featured the majority of the panels and a selection of the display cabinet material which was destined for the international museums. Entrance to Canning House was free and with the venue being so centrally located, between Harrods, Hyde Park Corner, and Buckingham Palace, there was a good flow of visitors keen to learn more about Easter Island and its representation in popular culture.
After leaving London, the exhibition and the moai statues ventured north to The Captain Cook Birthplace Museum in Marton, Middlesbrough.
Teresa Jambur
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Canning House exhibition launch: Cristián Léon, Cultural Attaché for the Embassy of Chile, London (left),
Curator Dr Ian Conrich (3rd left), with Assistant Curators Martyn Harris and Dr Roy Smith (2nd left and right).