Colorful dragon-head Caribbean masks with fangs and horns, brilliant angels hovering over ghostly images of Jesus and King David, skulls sculpted from mud, paintings based on scripture--these spectacles of good and evil are only a fraction of the University Museums' collection of folk and self-taught art. According to Bonnie Krause, director of the Museums, the collection is the most comprehensive in the state of Mississippi. "People have donated this art from their personal collections," she said, "and through the University's Center for the Study of Southern Culture and the Department of Art, we have the expertise to document such work."

Folk art is an art or craft, such as quilting or carving, passed down through generations by families and ethnic groups. Folk and self-taught artists generally are not aware of and do not seek acceptance from the artistic mainstream, and they initially do not depend on art for their livelihood or consider themselves artists. These individuals have never studied art formally, rather garnering their styles and skills from observation and tradition.

Featured in the permanent collection are canes by "Hickory Stick" Vic Bobb, sculpture by James "Son" Thomas, quilts by Pecolia Warner, and paintings by Howard Finster, in addition to works by many other artists. The Museums' largest, single collection of self-taught paintings is by Theora Hamblett, a native of Paris, Mississippi, who is well known for her "Dreams and Visions" series of paintings.

The University Museums' collection consists primarily of Southern folk and self-taught art, but there is also an extensive collection of Caribbean and Korean pieces and a small representation of European folk art. This range from regional to international art is one of the strongest aspects of the collection because it offers a comparative perspective and reinforces an inherently Southern artistic culture, Krause says.

A folk art exhibit is always on display at the University Museums. For more information, call 601-232-7073.

Mary Ann Connell