Date of Award
4-27-2018
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Heritage Studies, Ph.D.
First Advisor
Lauri Umansky
Committee Members
Michael Bowman; Ruth Hawkins
Call Number
LD251.A566d 2018 P54
Abstract
While urban centers may have more conveniences and resources to sustain a decorative vernacular art environment of rural origin, much is to be gained from keeping such sites in their places of origin. The Museum of Wonder in Seale, Alabama is a case in point. It should be recognized as a legitimate heritage site and primary source for understanding the heritage of Russell County, Alabama. The Museum of Wonder and the regional artists affiliated with the museum are intentionally preserving their heritage in rural Russell County through the performance and presentation of abstract vernacular art. A close and multifaceted examination of this site suggests a new understanding of what is typically labelled “outsider art,” shifting the discourse from one of novelty and pathology to one of historically inscribed intentionality.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Pierce, Bryan James, "Revelation of Obscurity in an Empire: Reinterpreting “Outsider Art” as a Preservation Tool in a Rural Alabama Cultural Heritage Site, Museum of Wonder" (2018). Student Theses and Dissertations. 510.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/510
