The experience of organizing an exhibition is a creative journey, a process of discovery with exciting stops and encounters all along the way – creating a conceptual framework for the show, researching the artists and the works, visiting artist studios, planning the layout of the exhibition, and writing the catalog. The journey culminates in the exhibition itself which, if successful, gives expression to ideas in concrete visual form through the assembled works. Over the last nine months or so of this voyage, I have had the pleasurable company of a very able traveling companion, Janet Yoon, Haverford ’10, my co-curator, whose many and varied contributions to the realization of Mapping Identity are here acknowledged. This has been a very rewarding collaborative experience, allowing an ideal context for learning, the exchange of knowledge, and the birth of a new friendship. But, the collaboration was not ours alone. Janet and I would like to thank all those who kindly and generously contributed their time and assistance to make the exhibition and related programs possible.

First and foremost, we are grateful to the artists for their participation. We would also like to thank the lenders and galleries representing the artists who provided works, photographs, and other support. In particular, we would like to mention: Julie Castellano of Edwynn Houk Gallery; Matthew Droege and Michael Jenkins of Sikkema Jenkins & Co.; Erica Miranda, Amy Schmersal, and Stephanie Smith of Lehmann Maupin Galler y; Oliver Newton of Alexander and Bonin; and Fabio Rossi of Rossi & Rossi.

Special thanks are extended to Kwame Anthony Appiah for accepting the invitation to speak on cosmopolitanism (a theme of the show) on the occasion of the opening of the exhibition on March 19, 2010.

Janet and I would like to extend our great appreciation to Matthew Seamus Callinan, Campus Exhibitions Coordinator, and the student staff of the Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, whose collaboration was essential at every stage; and to the staff of the James B. Hurford ’60 Humanities Center, especially John Weissinger and Emily Cronin. To Israel Burshatin and Kim Benston, who have provided intellectual leadership to the Humanities Center, we are also deeply grateful.

Linda Bell, Provost of the College, has been a continued source of support and encouragement. Linda Gerstein, Chair of Independent College Programs, is acknowledged for her ongoing collegiality. The students in my course “Art and Cultural Identity,” who, along with Janet Yoon, gave gallery tours of the exhibition are: Sarah Gilarsky, Sarina Schwartz, Holly Simpson, and Stefani Wallace. To them, Janet and I extend our thanks.

Many others – friends, colleagues, and family – provided assistance in one form or another. They are: Violet Brown, John Francone, Thomas Fitzpatrick, Ashok Gangadean, Stanford Guan, James Gulick, Janet Heron, Roger Hill, Michael Kiefer, Alexander Kitroeff, Dorothy Labe, Gabrielle Landau, Frederic MacDonald- Dennis, Barbara Mindell, John Mosteller, John Muse, Katherine Anne Paul, Aaron Sandnes, Eric Shiner, Sebastianna Skalisky, Parker Snowe, Mike Stevenson, Ananda Triulzi, Kathleen Wright, Won and Jeong Yoon, and Judy Young.

Support for the exhibition and related programs has been generously provided by the John B. Hurford ’60 Humanities Center, the Leaves of Grass Fund, the Tuttle Arts Fund, the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship, Haverford President Steve Emerson, the Paul J. B. Desjardins Colloquium Fund, the Distinguished Visitors Program, the Margaret Gest Program, and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.