In Lewiston, ‘critical inquiry’ and weird Kora Temple

“Fires of Blaine County” (oil on canvas), by Amelia Hawkins, in the show “Senior Thesis 2024,’’ at the Bates College Museum of Art, Lewiston, Maine.

— Image courtesy: Bates College Museum of Art

The museum explains:

The museum says that the show is “the culmination of eight students' time at the college. Soon-to-be graduates Amelia Hawkins, Yuri Kim, Avery Mathias, Miguel Ángel Pacheco, George Peck, Olivia Rabin, Emma Upton and Joseph Vineyard present their work in painting, performance, digital animation, mixed media and more. The emphasis of the program is on creating a cohesive body of related works through sustained studio practice and critical inquiry.’’

The Kora Temple, in Lewiston, built in 1908 by the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, a fraternal organization affiliated with Freemasonry and are known for their charitable works such as the Shriners Hospitals for Children, which provide free medical care to children. The Kora Temple serves as a ceremonial space and clubhouse for the Shriners. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 for its distinctive Moorish-inspired architecture.

Portion of large mural in the Kora Temple’s dining hall.

— Photo by SarekOfVulcan