<p>A new museum of modern folk art won't have the usual displays of quilts, jugs, and walking sticks, instead it will separate fine art from crafts, its directors say.</p><p>The Hurn Museum of Contemporary Folk Art plans to open its doors in Savannah on Nov. 1.</p><p>"This museum will be unique among folk art museums because of its message," said co-founder Michael Sottile. "It's going to be controversial because of our attempt to define folk art."</p><p>Folk art is traditionally defined as art created by people with little or no formal art education. The genre usually includes handicrafts, functional and ornamental items as well as paintings, sculpture and mixed-media work.</p><p>The Hurn Museum of Contemporary Folk Art will not exhibit any craft work.</p><p>Instead, the museum will showcase an eclectic permanent collection of folk art, as well as rotating exhibits throughout the year.</p><p>The museum will emphasize painting, sculpture, drawings and mixed-media work by a wide range of local, regional and national artists. The work in the museum's permanent collection _ which includes original paintings by Savannah artist Rudy Bostic and Alabama artist Michael Banks _ focuses on visionary, vernacular and outsider art.</p><p>As Savannah's first museum dedicated to contemporary folk art, the facility will offer regular lectures, workshops and classes, which will be open to the public.</p><p>The museum is named for the late Deborah Hurn, former owner of Bohemia Gallery in downtown Savannah and a local champion of American folk art.</p><p>"Debbie really planted the seed for this museum many years ago," said Sottile. "She was a real advocate who lit the flame. We thought that the museum would be a fitting tribute to her efforts and her memory."</p><p>Artist Marcus Kenney plans to curate a show featuring local artists such as Mike Williams and Buddha in the future.</p><p>"I'm really excited about this museum," Kenney said. "People associate folk art with the South. I think we have a lot of really good folk artists here in Savannah that should be represented."</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x2866414)</p>
