Made of low-fired clay, the intricate statues brought over from Xian, China include a general (one of nine in the world), two archers, infantrymen, a cavalry officer, a charioteer, a strongman and a horse.
These and other artifacts like bells, cranes, amulets and weapons are all widely speculated by experts to be part of the recreation of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s court in his afterlife.
Possibly the greatest archaeological find of the late twentieth century, the discovery of the terracotta warriors possesses all the dramatic elements of an epic blockbuster film. Moreover, their fate has been intertwined with local, national, and international politics. All of this is poignantly and cleverly recreated in the tight confines of a gallery at the Asian Civilizations Museum.
Selena Wang, the curator affirms, “We were worried about the space of the gallery at 480 square meters; this is much smaller than a typical exhibition which requires an area of at least 800 square meters.”
“We spent time researching how to maximize the space by using black screens and photos as backgrounds. Moreover, the selection of statues with neutral colors was another conscious choice to create an illusion that the space is larger than it actually is.”
When you go (and you must), don’t forget to download ACM: Terracotta Warriors, the world’s first museum app to combine location-based gaming and interactive features into your iPhone to heighten the visit to the exhibition. The warriors and artifacts really do come alive in this exhibition.
Terracotta Warriors: The Fist Emperor and His Legacy runs through Oct 16. Asian Civilizations Museum, 1 Empress Place, 6332-7798. $3-10.
