Mexican Gourd Bowl
Photo by Paul Smutko
Written by Laurel Seth and Aurelia Gomez
Museum of International Folk Art, a Unit of the Museum of New Mexico
P.O. Box 2087
Santa Fe, NM 87504-2087
(505) 476-1200, Fax (505) 476-1300
www.internationalfolkart.org
"The art of the craftsman is a bond between the peoples of
the world."
- Florence Dibell Bartlett
Florence
Dibell Bartlett founded the Museum of International Folk Art (MOIFA) fifty years
ago with a vision of the museum as a world center. She hoped people would come
here to gain a better understanding of the world and leave with a sense of fellowship
gained by exploring the universal language of folk art. Her collection, and subsequent
acquisitions by the museum, create a colorful map of a handmade planet where visitors
continue to be inspired and transported.
The original Bartlett collection of over 2,500 objects from 34
countries was donated to the people of the State of New Mexico, along with the
museum building which she commissioned architect John Gaw Meem to design. She
chose each object in her collection during her frequent world travels and over
twenty summers spent in Alcalde, New Mexico. Her motivation for collecting came
from a concern that handmade things were being replaced by machine made items,
and she had the desire to preserve the beautiful things which she saw around
her.
The MOIFA collection has grown tremendously through the diligent efforts of curators and directors, through inspired purchases and many generous gifts, including those from the Girard Foundation and the Neutrogena Corporation to name only the two largest. This exhibition combines art from around the world and from all areas of the collection to illustrate the theme that the museum's collections represent a "handmade planet." The Museum's 50th Anniversary is an opportunity to revisit and reaffirm for future years Miss Bartlett's vision that folk art is a vital connection among the people of the world and a vivid way to connect with others who share this fragile and living earth.
Norwegian Bridal Crown
Norway, c. 1750
Home, Hearth and Garden
"You feel at home"
- a quote from Pacific Discover Magazine shortly after MOIFA opened in 1953.
Museum founder Florence Dibell Bartlett hoped that every visitor would take
an active part in exploring the collections to learn about the peoples of the
world. She envisioned a place where people would feel both a sense of adventuring
far afield and being familiarly at home. Contrasting styles paired with similar
shapes and designs play off each other in the variety of costumes, plates, household
items and garden views gathered from around the world and displayed here.
Neighborhood Views and Friendly Critters
"Tutto il mondo e paese" - "The whole world is hometown" is an Italian proverb quoted by designer, collector and MOIFA donor Alexander Girard. Collections at MOIFA span the planet and are vast in their diversity while also reflecting universal themes, familiar daily routines and common rites of passage. Illustrating this is a small selection of wedding items from various countries, inspired by Florence Bartlett's love of collection many wedding related objects.
Folk art abounds with depictions of animals in every medium, shape and size - only a few are shown here from far and wide to inhabit for a time this temporary display of a handmade planet. Music speaks a universal language, and folk music has always been a part of the museum collections and programs, from the opening weekend, in 1953 to the present.
Wild Animals and Mythological Beings
"In
our world, we need a clear awareness of the interdependent nature of nations,
of humans and animals, and of humans, animals and the world. Everything is of
interdependent nature."
- H.H. Dalai Lama
Every group of people has confronted aspects of the unknown -
the places where the maps of the world depict dragons, sea monsters, strange
stars and other mythological beings. People also live near wild animals that
can become symbols for learning about boundaries and confronting fears. When
these wild animals and unfamiliar things are not the provocation for annihilation
or warfare, they can be fertile ground for new creations and awareness. Travelers,
collectors and museum themselves are conduits for bringing varying interpretations
of the unfamiliar to others, and for providing a way to begin to look for common
ground.
Stamp picture
USA
Benjamin Ulmer, 1895-1900
Upheaval and Disruption
Unfortunately, on occasion there are barriers and unforeseen disturbances
that people confront before seeking the ideal which Florence Bartlett sought
to illustrate by founding the museum. Sometimes the bonds of fellowship are
raveled, and war erupts. But, even in these circumstances, folk art prevails
and sometimes the horror gets turned against itself to protect the weak and
somehow, beauty is created from it.
Seeking Common Ground
"We
must all live together, even though we are unduly separated in ideas, cultures,
and interests, because we can never again live apart. We must learn, somehow,
to live together in peace."
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
A similar message, penned by Florence Bartlett, can be read above the doorway
to the museum. She intended that the collections and programs that are an integral
part of the museum would lead people to experience creativity, beauty and communication
through art - especially folk art - and that they would find a common ground
and lasting fellowship as a result.
The tree of life is a universal symbol of this intention. Numerous versions
are found in the museum, and some are grouped here. A journey through this display
of a handmade planet fashioned from disparate parts collected from far and wide
has, hopefully, shown that there are indeed common bonds between us all on the
fragile ground of our small and living earth.
Thanks for visiting.
Laurel Seth, Guest Curator.
Tree of Life
Ricardo Lopez
Cordova, New Mexico
20th century
Questions for Discussion
1. Were you surprised to learn that a woman started the Museum of International Folk Art? Have other women founded museums? Find out who and where.
2. Florence Bartlett used to wear some of the ethnic outfits that were part of her collection. When do you wear your favorite clothes and where do you wear them? What are your mother's favorite clothes? Your brother's, your sister's, your father's? What do our clothes say about us?
3. What do you collect? How big is your collection? Where do all of the pieces come from? Where do you keep it?
4. Florence Bartlett traveled to many different countries and purchased folk art items on her trips. These pieces became the foundation of her collection. Alexander Girard collected nativity sets as a boy. Where do you travel and what do you purchase or choose to save from you trips?
5. If you could start a museum what kind of museum would it be? Where would it be? What kind of experiences would you like people to have there? What would you want visitors to remember?
6. Read the quotes for the Dalai Lama and Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. What do you think about these men and their words? Collect quotes
that promote peace and post them around the classroom. How can we promote peace
and harmony in our world?
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