Image of a patterned blue and white dish with a stylized small deer-like animal at the center.

Fragmentary Visions: Grinnell College’s Kelekian Collection

Nanette Rodney Kelekian, granddaughter of famed art dealer Dikran Kelekian, began gifting portions of her grandfather’s collection to Grinnell College in 1984.

Since then, individual pieces have been included in exhibitions, but Fragmentary Visions is the most comprehensive display of Grinnell’s extensive Kelekian collection. The ceramics, manuscripts, and textiles on display are some of the oldest objects in the museum’s permanent collection, hailing from the Eastern Mediterranean, West Asia, and the greater Islamic world. This exhibition showcases fragments and everyday objects alongside art made for the elite, allowing the viewer to experience the spectrum of art collected by many museums, but rarely shown together. Fragmentary Visions is curated by Exhibition Seminar students Marina Busby 24, David Gales ’23, Melena Johnson ’23 , and Verda Karaoǧlu ’25, taught by Professor Eiren Shea of the Art History Department.

  • Manuscript illustration of a horsemen in profile with a scabbard raised in his right hand

    Fragmentary Visions

    Marina Busby ’24 Discusses “Combat Between Two Horsemen”

    Marina Busby ’24, one of the student curators of Fragmentary Visions, discusses Combat Between Two Horsemen from Firdowsi’s Shahnama (Book of Kings).

  • Ceramic fragment in shades of tan showing a figure on horseback in profile galloping to the viewer's left

    Fragmentary Visions

    Melena Johnson ’23 Talks about Ceramics in the Exhibition

    Student curator Melena Johnson ’23 talks about ceramics from Kashan and Nishapur featured in Fragmentary Visions.

  • Detail view of two pages from the 5th Juz of the Qur'an in the Kelekian Collection.

    Fragmentary Visions

    Lal Verda Karaoğlu Speaks about a Qur’an in the Kelekian Collection

    Student curator Lal Verda Karaoğlu ’25 discusses a Pocket Qur'an in the College’s Kelekian Collection.

  • Detail of a Coptic textile fragment in shades of red, gold, green, and black

    Fragmentary Visions

    On Art Online: Coptic Textile Fragment

    Student Curator David Gales '23 speaks about a Coptic textile Fragment.

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