The Museum of International Folk Art is hands down my favorite place to visit in Santa Fe, and yes, that includes all the great eateries there. The anchor exhibit Multiple Visions: A Common Bond is an immense collection of toys, travel souvenirs, street art, miniatures, ceramics, textiles and just about anything that can be categorized as folk art. The 10,000 pieces on display were collected by designer Alexander Girard and his wife Susan over their lifetime of travel to dozens of countries. The exhibit includes a personal collection of work that spoke to them. As a designer and maker, I feel a kinship with all of the individuals that have created the objects the Girard’s deemed worthy for recognition and preservation. I appreciate the authenticity of the work, the artist’s personal expression in each piece and how visions were realized through skill with materials.
The collection showcases global cultures united by similarities rather than separated by differences. The variety of cultural objects represent universal themes of celebration, life, play and death. Girard designed the exhibit and arranged objects to create scenes, express stories or grouped them by themes to compare and contrast. Sometimes this risky arrangement of display is genius and other times it can be pushed into an awkward unpretentious cultural mash up.
I have visited this exhibit several times over the past few decades and each time I discover something new. On my first visit I soaked in the huge scenic installations. Another time I listened to the audio tour which narrated specifics about each piece. On my last visit I tried the app but hardly used it because it took me away from appreciating the actual work that was right in front of me. Instead I spent most of the day observing and enjoying the materials, craftsmanship and details of the handmade toys. I imagined the people from around the globe who made them with love and the children who played with them.
This collection assembled over four decades ago brings us back to a time when many objects sold to travelers such as the Girards were handcrafted by locals. On the same day I visited the museum I also walked around the historic plaza in Santa Fe. Artisans were selling their wares but unfortunately, only a few artists were selling works they created. Numerous street vendors were reselling the identical Native American style crafts and jewelry purchased from a local importer with labels stating they were made in the Far East. This gave me an even greater appreciation of the work in the Girard collection preserved by the Museum of International Folk for everyone to experience. Every time I leave I yearn for the next visit. At home I stay connected through the on-line programs, exhibits, collections and the library.
Side note: The Museum of American Folk Art is on Museum Hill. It shares a beautifully playful courtyard with the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture another place that showcases art that has continually been overlooked in the art world. If you have the time it is also worth the visit.
