Striking Power: Iconoclasm in Ancient Egypt

Striking Power: Iconoclasm in Ancient Egypt is the first exhibition to explore the history of iconoclasm in relation to ancient Egyptian art. With nearly forty masterpieces from the renowned collection of the Brooklyn Museum, Striking Power will examine widespread campaigns of targeted destruction driven by political and religious motivations. Focusing on the legacies of pharaohs Hatshepsut (ca. 1478–1458 BCE) and Akhenaten (ca. 1353 –1336 BCE), as well as of the destruction of objects undertaken by early Christians, the exhibition will pair damaged works—from fragmented heads to altered inscriptions—alongside undamaged examples. It will thus show how the deliberate destruction of objects derives from the perception of images not only as means of representation, but also as containers of powerful and dangerous spiritual energy. In so doing, it will raise timely questions about ownership, memory, and visual culture.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website