Crossing Communities: Beer Culture across Africa

The materials in this digital collection were part of an exhibition at the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art titled Crossing Communities: Beer Culture across Africa, May 16-September 23, 2017.

Cultures across the African continent have incorporated beer into their respective rituals, ceremonies, and social gatherings for centuries. Much like our local cultures in Fort Collins, the production and consumption of beer is an established facet of building community and often becomes a focal point for engagement in interpersonal exchange. Crossing Communities: Beer Culture across Africa featured a variety of ceramic pots from 27 cultures and 17 countries to showcase their beautifully distinct styles, while highlighting the visceral experience of brewing, storing, and serving beer across the African continent and its parallels with our own beer culture in northern Colorado.

The bulk of this digital collection consists of images of 38 vessels as they were displayed in the exhibit. Almost every item is documented with an image of the item and its label (the “tombstone”), the item without the label, and the label alone. Also included are a few images showing the layout of the exhibit, five exhibition panels, and the exhibit catalog.