- Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of Art
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Coordinates: 30°23′37″N 88°52′18″W / 30.39361°N 88.87167°W
Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art
Mississippi Sound Welcome Center
Established 1989 (Present location 2010)[1] Location Biloxi, Mississippi Director Denny Mecham (2011) Curator Barbara Johnson Ross (2011) Website Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of Art is a non-profit art museum located in Biloxi, Mississippi, dedicated to the ceramics of George E. Ohr, the self-proclaimed "Mad Potter of Biloxi". The museum is named for ceramic artist George E. Ohr, as well as Annette O'Keefe, late wife of former Biloxi mayor Jeremiah O'Keefe, Sr., who was instrumental in donating money and raising funds for the completion of the museum campus.[2]
The five-building museum campus was designed by architect Frank Gehry to "dance" with the ancient live oak trees on the 4-acre (1.6-hectare) site.
In August 2005, the museum was damaged during Hurricane Katrina, but construction continued.[3][4] On November 8, 2010, three buildings on the east side of the campus opened with outstanding exhibitions, including George Ohr pottery from Gulf Coast collections. The Mississippi Sound Welcome Center, the IP Casino Resort & Spa Exhibitions Gallery, and the Gallery of African American Art are now open, in addition to the Pleasant Reed Interpretive Center. Completion of the Center for Ceramics building and the George E. Ohr Gallery is scheduled for 2012. When the Center for Ceramics is completed, the museum will provide classes in ceramics in its new studios. The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of art is continuing its community and school outreach programs, as well as, the summer "Mud Daubers" camp for ages 6–12.[3]
In July 2011, less than a year after it opened, the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum was facing financial difficulties because revenues were not sufficient to cover operating costs.[5] In October 2011, the Biloxi City Council agreed to provide financial support for the museum, which is housed in city-owned buildings, with an expectation that the museum would grow into a center for cultural tourism.[6]
Gallery
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The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of Art under construction in August 2005, one week before Hurricane Katrina.
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IP Casino Resort & Spa Exhibitions Gallery
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Gallery of African American Art
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Pleasant Reed Interpretive Center
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Center for Ceramics under construction
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The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art campus
References
- ^ "Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art timeline". http://www.sunherald.com/2011/07/23/3295322/ohr-okeefe-museum-of-art-timeline.html#storylink=misearch. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ^ Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of Art: Jeremiah O'Keefe, Sr.
- ^ a b Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of Art general information
- ^ http://www.nea.gov/about/NEARTS/14-2006vol5/14katrina3.html
- ^ Karen Nelson. 2011. Ohr on the edge... Sun Herald (Biloxi, MS), July 23, 2011.
- ^ Mary Perez. 2011. Museum gets city's help to stay open. Sun Herald (Biloxi, MS), October 7, 2011.
External links
Categories:- Biloxi, Mississippi
- Art museums in Mississippi
- Museums in Harrison County, Mississippi
- Decorative arts museums in the United States
- Frank Gehry buildings
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