Conservation and Stabilization of the Collection of the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art HURRICANE KATRINA EMERGENCY GRANT

FAIN: PC-50012-06

Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art (Biloxi, MS 39530-4278)
Marjorie Gowdy (Project Director: November 2005 to July 2007)

The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art holds the ceramic collection of George E. Ohr, the Biloxi potter. Ohr was born and raised in Biloxi, Mississippi, and is believed by many to be the first abstract clay artist in the United States. This collection of over two hundred pieces was awarded a grant by Save America's Treasures. The museum also owns the Pleasant Reed House, a prime example of the shotgun style of domestic architecture and one of the first homes in the Biloxi area built by a freed slave. The Pleasant Reed House contains artifacts depicting African American life in the Gulf Coast region and has been maintained as a history museum. Hurricane Katrina caused severe damage to the museum and completely destroyed the Pleasant Reed House. The staff has begun salvage operations in the attempt to recover artifacts from the debris of the house and has begun assessment of damage to artifacts in the museum collections. Because the museum's building will require extensive repairs, the Ohr collection has been moved to the Mobile Museum of Art for safe-keeping and assessment and has been placed in temporary, climate-controlled storage.