Oglethorpe University Museum of Art Fall Exhibits (wednesdays)

From the venue:

A Legacy of Generosity: The Jacobs Henderson Family Collections and Their Influence on OUMA

September 12 – December 7, 2025
 

A Legacy of Generosity: The Jacobs Henderson Family Collections and Their Influence on OUMA explores the richness of our museum collection through those works of art given by the descendants of OU President Thornwell Jacobs (1877 – 1956) and those inspired by these gifts. Included are large collections of porcelain, paintings, and works on paper generously given over many years by Ms. Caroline Lee Jacobs Henderson, President Jacobs’ granddaughter. This seminal collection has inspired many others to support OUMA through gifts-in-kind. Also on view are recent acquisitions of superb examples of Edo period (1600 to 1868) and Meiji period (1868 – 1912) Japanese porcelain from the family of Dr. Eugene Davidson and a selection of rare Vietnamese porcelain of the Hoi An Wreck, Le Dynasty ca. 1480 ce given by the family of David Yoakley Mitchell. On loan is a selection of paintings and works on paper by American Impressionist Paul Cornoyer, on loan from Bradley A. Firchow ’19 and Dylan M. Harper ’19, a young collecting couple inspired by the Jacobs Henderson family’s generosity.

Curated by John Daniel Tilford, Curatorial Advisor and Elizabeth Peterson Jennings, Museum Director
On view in the Shelley and Donald Rubin Gallery, OUMA

exhibit here

Al Clayton Photography: Lost and Found

September 26 – December 7, 2025
Al Clayton Photography: Lost and Found presents a special look at life in Atlanta in the 1980s through the lens of famed photographer of the urban and rural South, Al Clayton (1934 – 2014). For more about the artist, please visit: https://www.alclaytonphotography.com/about

On view in Skylight Gallery are more than 35 black and white photographs and contact sheets celebrating 80s club kids, drag performers, and the LGBTQ community. Also on view is a special selection of Clayton’s own belongings including cameras, loops, and other photography equipment giving a window into his artistic process. Included in our adjacent Hall Gallery is a selection of 7 photographs from Clayton’s never-before exhibited 1990s series “Lost Things.” These photographs are carefully arranged tableaus composed of discarded items found around Atlanta creating intricate, richly colored photographs. Taken together these photographs are an example of Clayton’s keen and thoughtful interest in those people, places, and things at the “margins” of Atlanta society. They present a tender tribute to a dynamic time in Atlanta’s history and continue OUMA’s commitment to elevating voices of the underserved. OUMA is proud to connect to community partner Lost-n-Found Youth. OUMA is grateful to the Clayton family for their generous collaboration and acknowledges with thanks the connection to the Clayton family which was made through Steven Igarashi of Atlanta Pride.

exhibit here