Page 116 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2020

GIVING BACK
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photos courtesy of Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
One of Highway 90’s most notable landmarks is the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, which houses the works of Biloxi’s own “Mad Potter,” George Ohr. While the art inside the museum is amazing, the building itself is a work of art.
Designed by famed architect Frank Gehry, the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum’s bold design truly ts the character of George Ohr. The award-winning campus is both bold and intriguing, comprised of several self-su cient structures that o er visitors separate, but not isolated experiences. The building’s design has set the museum among the ranks of many other famous architectural marvels, including Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum and Walt Disney Concert Hall designs.
While 2020 did change the way museums such as the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art functioned, the sta rose to the challenge. The museum reopened on June 18, implementing the City of Biloxi’s safety guidelines, including social distancing, hand sanitizing stations, and requiring that all visitors wear masks. The museum also kicked o OOMA Online, a digital collection of artwork that can be viewed from the comfort of home.
Also this year, the museum announced
a new partnership with restaurateur Lauren Turner’s Biloxi-based restaurant, Makin’ Groceries. This plant-based café, family meal prep, and catering company is located inside the museum and provides dietary restriction-friendly options
everyone will love.
The mission of the Ohr-O’Keefe
Museum of Art is to promote and preserve the unique legacy of Biloxi potter George E. Ohr and the diverse cultural heritage of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Ohr is known for his body of ceramic works, which many say helped to de ne the aesthetic conventions of 19th century America. He is considered an early leader in the modernist movement and his work is admired by artists and collectors alike.
Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
386 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, 39530 228.374.5547 • www.georgeohr.org
116 | December 2020
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living