Santa Fe International Folk Art Museum

If you're ever in Santa Fe you must visit the International Folk Art Museum.  The collection is vast and incredibly varied.  Most impressive is the Girard Gallery that houses the private collection of one Alexander H. Girard.  Mr Girard was an avid collector of folk art from around the world and generously donated his vast collection.  Examples of art work from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas are plentiful.  There is, however, little from Australia or the pacific islands.

All of the following photographs were taken without a flash (as per the request of the Museum) and without a tripod.  My apologies if the quality of the images is less than perfect.

Pinocchio

Some of these dolls were retrieved from the Underground Railroad, suggesting that these dolls were played with by African American children.

Baby doll with a bizarrely shaped head.

If you forget to look up you can miss half of what is on display.  Here intricately made bird cages sit atop a display of equally intricate needlework samplers.

Just a small sample of the many masks on display

Intricately realised scene of a Latin American festival.

I love the perspective of the church in the background

Again, looking up at some fabulous African silhouette figures.

A doll house (Italian) with curiously flattened ceramic dolls.

Chinese rabbit.  One of my favourites.

Rare and superbly realised Indian painting.

Figures from East Africa

I could have gone on photographing all day, however my camera battery ran out (curses!).

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