OXFORD,
Miss. – A traveling exhibition featuring the works of four renowned
Mississippi artists is coming to the University of Mississippi Museum.
“American
Masters of the Mississippi Gulf Coast” opens Saturday (July 25) and
continues through Aug. 29. Organized by the Mississippi Arts Commission
and underwritten by the National Endowment for the Arts, the display is
the second in a series highlighting cultural contributions of historic
Mississippi personas in art, literature, theater and dance. Included
are paintings by George Ohr, Dusti Bonge, Walter Anderson and Richmond
Barthe.
“We are fortunate to host this exhibit highlighting
these extraordinary Mississippi artists,” said Morris Stocks, UM
provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Through their
distinctive works, they have provided a glimpse into our unique history
and culture.”
Those working closely with the exhibition urge the public to take full advantage of the rare and remarkable project.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to examine modernism in Mississippi,” said William P. Andrews, project director. “Much of the time, art history paints these individuals in a vernacular or naive light. The truth is, they were very avant-garde and exceptionally devoted to their unique vision.”
To highlight the artists and the exhibit, MAC, the Starkville Area Arts Council and the Mississippi State University art department have published a 104-page, full-color, hardback catalog on the lives of the artists and artworks of the exhibition. The catalog is being circulated by University Press of Mississippi. Mississippi writer Patti Carr Black is providing her expertise to the project by serving as curator and editor of the catalog, which is available at Off Square Books in Oxford among other venues.
“Through this exhibition and publication, we hope to offer a thoughtful and respective view of these legendary visual artists who drew life and inspiration from our beloved Mississippi Gulf Coast,” said Malcolm White, MAC executive director.
University Museum, Fifth Street and University Avenue, is open to the public 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-4:30 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 662-915-7073 or visit http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/u?museum/
The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency, funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Wallace Foundation, the Phil Hardin Foundation, Donna and Jim Barksdale, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation and other private sources. MAC is the official grant-making and service agency for the arts in Mississippi.
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts. NEA created the American Masterpieces Series to acquaint Americans with the best of their cultural and artistic legacy.
For assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-7073. For more information on the University Museum, go to http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/u?museum/ .