The Heckscher Museum of Art’s collection spans 500 years with particular emphasis on art of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. American landscape painting and work by Long Island artists, past and present, are particular strengths, as is American and European modernism.
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German-born photographer and mixed media artist Bastienne Schmidt often explores themes of identity and place in her work. She was raised in Greece and Italy, where her father worked as an archaeologist—an experience that continues to inspire her approach to her art. Schmidt’s various projects examine and document aspects of place, history, memory, and the passage of time. The artist currently lives and works in Bridgehampton on Long Island.
These photographs were taken during Schmidt’s travels through Latin America following the death of her father. Interested in death rituals, she traveled to Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, Peru, and Guatemala, and later published the project as a photography book, Vivir La Muerte (1996). Candomblé is a religion based on African beliefs popular in Brazil and several other Latin American countries. Literally meaning ‘dance in honor of the gods,’ music and dance are important aspects of Candomblé ceremonies.