GLOBAL SPIRIT—Folk Art from the Ted Cohen Collection showcases folk art from more than 20 countries, highlighting a donation to the Museum by Oakland-based collector and exhibition designer, Ted Cohen. Over 200 works will be featured in this exhibition, including handcrafted masks, puppets, dolls, instruments and baskets, as well as unexpected objects such as hat boxes, a lunch box and a three-foot-tall elephant made from paper and bamboo. The vast array of materials and subject matter is representative of the Museum’s mission to celebrate human creativity in all forms.
This exhibition inaugurates Mingei’s renovated space, newly imagined to more fully bring the art of the world and art of the people to all people. The works in this show are intended to delight the viewer with their color, whimsy and beauty, revealing aspects of the lives and history of people from around the world.