The works displayed in Art of Place, Art of Peace were produced in small-scale cultures where art is many times a community endeavor. In such cultures, art brings people together across age groups and social situations, providing an opportunity for the young to learn from parents and grandparents. Art helps convey important cultural information, helps to identify a person or group within a community, and is often offered from one group to another as a means of honoring significant life events or as reconciliation.
The tapa cloth, which was produced in the South Pacific Islands, is made from the inner bark of the mulberry tree. Producing tapa cloth is a time-consuming process – specific aspects are done by men and others by women. The saturated bark is pounded to the correct consistency, allowed to dry, and printed with designs. Bundles of tapa cloth, which mark status and wealth like other forms of currency, are presented to people on occasions such as marriages or the birth of babies.
The large felt rug from Turkey was made using traditional felt-making techniques. Wool is distributed on a straw mat and saturated with water. The mat is then rolled tightly so that the water is extracted and the wool fibers bind together. This particular rug was made in collaboration with Turkish felt-makers and Earlham students in the town of Afyon. The designs combine references to Earlham and other forms found on traditional Turkish rugs, such as the Tree of Life and other symbols.