I have long been fascinated by the designation as ART of so many objects that were never ART in our sense of the word. Most objects of the period before the Middle Ages were made for a very specific purpose, especially for rituals, ceremonies, and propaganda. This selection of works from our collection demonstrates the diversity produced in cultures around the world in different time periods and in different media, and how they each share an intense need to create objects to serve the needs of their people. -Dr. Carol Damian, Director and Chief Curator