MIAMI, FLA.- The Lowe Art Museum is mounting a unique exhibition, Kay Pacha: Reciprocity with the Natural World, on view from February 12 through July 2. This extraordinary show is the first curated exhibition of Andean art from the Lowe’s permanent collection of more than 1,000 antique stone, metal, wood, ceramic, and textile objects from Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, many on view for the first time ever. The exhibition explores the ancient Andean concept of ayni, or reciprocity between humans and nature that fuels life on kay pacha, the surface of the earth. This show is a unique attempt to explore how humans used art to express their gratitude, fear, and indebtedness to the harsh natural world of the Andes.

Reciprocity is an abstract concept in modern society but it was a key value that structured many aspects of ancient life in the unforgiving environment of the Andean mountains and coastal desert. Ceramic jars in the shape of a crab, royal robes made of parrot feathers or fine alpaca wool, and silver disks decorated with shellfish from the Lowe’s collections speak to how material objects conveyed the interrelatedness of life, authority, and power in these cultures. Also included is an exquisite featherwork piece from the collections of the Jay I. Kislak Foundation.

In addition, an Exhibition Symposium will take place on Saturday, February 20 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, at the University’s Storer Auditorium. The Symposium, featuring various experts speaking on different pieces from the exhibition, is organized by the University of Miami’s Anthropology Department in conjunction with the Center for Humanities. Admission is free.