For Immediate Release Contact: Nancy O'Shea (312) 665-7100 (For Media Use Only) Exhibition Walk Through Mythic Creatures: Dragon, Unicorns & Mermaids is divided into an introduction and five sections: The introduction immediately transports visitors to a "mythical" land as they come face-to-face with a huge model of a dragon. Arguably, the most famous of mythic creatures, dragons are featured throughout the exhibition and play important roles in the cultures of Asia, Europe, and the Americas. In Asia, dragons can be as small as silkworms or fill the sky when they rise from the waters every spring and send rain to help crops grow.  In Europe, the dragon is an evil creature that captures princesses and fights heroic knights.  In the Americas, the Aztecs worshipped the god Quetzalcoatl, or "feathered serpent."  This creature was linked to the movement of the planet Venus, and often is depicted with sharp fangs, a fiery gaze, the body of a snake, and the deep green feathers of the quetzal, a tropical bird. The section called Creatures of Water explores the kraken, sea monsters, mermaids and other fantastic beings that inhabit the depths. The sea, both mysterious and enchanting, inspired these creatures. When European explorers set out on voyages of discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries, rumors of sea monsters aroused their curiosity and fear. Sailors' tales ranged from accurate observations, to honest mistakes, to tall tales.  This section features a 16th century map and books with drawings of sea monsters. Some images seem to be based on sightings of an actual fish called the oarfish or ribbon-fish, while others are products of the imagination such as the hippocampus, a mythic animal with a horse's head and a fish's tail.  A highlight here is a Swiss naturalist's book from the 16th century that shows mysterious sea creatures with body parts mimicking the characteristic robes and bishops ' hats of Catholic clergymen.  Also found in this section is a ceramic trumpet with a depiction of a killer whale with human hands holding a trophy head; there's also a ceramic vessel in the form of a killer whale from Peru painted by the ancient people, known today as the Nasca. Mermaids—half fish and half woman—are possibly the most popular and intriguing creatures across all cultures and they occupy their own section in the exhibition. In Europe, Africa, and the Americas, mermaids are a personification of the sea itself—powerful, seductive, and dangerous.  Stories and images of mermaids were transported to the Americas by sailors and slaves who told of beautiful, oceanic women. Visitors will see many images of the "Mami Wata" (mommy water), one of the most powerful and popular African water spirits. Also on display are Vodou banners from Haiti depicting the mermaid Lasirèn, as well as an early 20th century figurehead carved with a gilded mermaid. There are beautiful stone carvings of Sedna, a character in one of the most dramatic tales of the Inuit people of Canada and Greenland, and two contemporary wooden sculptures of Yawkyawk, a water spirit from Australia. Continue >>