Stage set for global exclusive exhibition at Perth museum
It's a story of emperors and empresses, soldiers and warriors, and everyday members of society – a story that transcends time and place.
That is how the curator of the Perth Museum Boola Bardip's upcoming global exclusive exhibition has described it – and it's one she feels 'complete excitement' about.
Tonia Eckfeld has worked in China for decades, at universities and making historical documentaries, and specialises in Chinese emperors and the significance of their tombs.
She was the perfect choice to help curate the WA Museum Boola Bardip's Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor, the largest and most complex exhibition the state has ever seen.
It will feature 230 artefacts, including eight of the famed terracotta warriors themselves. Some of those artefacts were only recently unearthed.
Just under half the pieces that will be on display have never left China and 90 per cent have never been displayed in Australia.
The museum is predicting more than 180,000 visitors will stream through the exhibition to catch a glimpse, with at least 60,000 being interstate or international tourists.
Eckfeld said she was able to look at each piece and not only imagine it in its original context, but see its enduring relevance.
'The exhibition focuses on Qin Shihuang as probably the most iconic figure in Chinese history, but it also focuses on his rise to power, and the aftermath of his reign,' she said.
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The Age
5 hours ago
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Stage set for global exclusive exhibition at Perth museum
It's a story of emperors and empresses, soldiers and warriors, and everyday members of society – a story that transcends time and place. That is how the curator of the Perth Museum Boola Bardip's upcoming global exclusive exhibition has described it – and it's one she feels 'complete excitement' about. Tonia Eckfeld has worked in China for decades, at universities and making historical documentaries, and specialises in Chinese emperors and the significance of their tombs. She was the perfect choice to help curate the WA Museum Boola Bardip's Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor, the largest and most complex exhibition the state has ever seen. It will feature 230 artefacts, including eight of the famed terracotta warriors themselves. Some of those artefacts were only recently unearthed. Just under half the pieces that will be on display have never left China and 90 per cent have never been displayed in Australia. The museum is predicting more than 180,000 visitors will stream through the exhibition to catch a glimpse, with at least 60,000 being interstate or international tourists. Eckfeld said she was able to look at each piece and not only imagine it in its original context, but see its enduring relevance. 'The exhibition focuses on Qin Shihuang as probably the most iconic figure in Chinese history, but it also focuses on his rise to power, and the aftermath of his reign,' she said.

Sydney Morning Herald
5 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Stage set for global exclusive exhibition at Perth museum
It's a story of emperors and empresses, soldiers and warriors, and everyday members of society – a story that transcends time and place. That is how the curator of the Perth Museum Boola Bardip's upcoming global exclusive exhibition has described it – and it's one she feels 'complete excitement' about. Tonia Eckfeld has worked in China for decades, at universities and making historical documentaries, and specialises in Chinese emperors and the significance of their tombs. She was the perfect choice to help curate the WA Museum Boola Bardip's Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor, the largest and most complex exhibition the state has ever seen. It will feature 230 artefacts, including eight of the famed terracotta warriors themselves. Some of those artefacts were only recently unearthed. Just under half the pieces that will be on display have never left China and 90 per cent have never been displayed in Australia. The museum is predicting more than 180,000 visitors will stream through the exhibition to catch a glimpse, with at least 60,000 being interstate or international tourists. Eckfeld said she was able to look at each piece and not only imagine it in its original context, but see its enduring relevance. 'The exhibition focuses on Qin Shihuang as probably the most iconic figure in Chinese history, but it also focuses on his rise to power, and the aftermath of his reign,' she said.