Museum of the Red River, Henry Moy Director

Henry Moy, director of the Museum of the Red River is graciously lodging us while we are in Idabel, Oklahoma.
http://museumoftheredriver.org
Some of the finest examples of North American Indian Art and artifacts can be seen at the Museum of the Red River in Idabel, Oklahoma. The museum opened its doors in 1975 to house objects dating from 10,000 years ago to historic times that were being discovered locally. The museum's collections gradually expanded to include objects from southeastern Oklahoma, northeastern Texas, and southwestern Arkansas: the Caddoan Archaeological Area. The Caddo had been active in this area from about 900 to 1700, and their artifacts were well represented. The early collections also included artifacts from the Choctaw, who had been forcibly transferred into Oklahoma from Mississippi in the 1830's. We will be visiting the Choctaw Nation through the assistance of Dr. Ian Thompson, archaeologist, anthropologist and artist. There will be more on this in my next blog. The Museum of the Red River is where Jeri Redcorn first saw the pottery of her ancestors and was inspired to revive it. For more on Jeri go to the past two blog posts.
Henry Moy will show us the Caddo and Choctaw collections and talk about them and their significance with us. I am excited to see this collection in person. I remember being so excited when the Nelson Rockefeller Collection of Prehistoric Art opened at the Met I couldn't wait to get there. In those days I was a potter and very inspired by the ancient pots. Altho I concentrate on painting and drawing now the passion remains. Go to the Museum of the Red River website to find out about how the museum has expanded their focus and collections.
Here is some information on the Nelson Rockefeller Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art:
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/museums/metropolitan-museum-of-art-new-york.htm

Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

This department houses the Met's collections of African art, antiquities and artifacts from the Americas (north and south) and Oceania, dating from 2000 BCE. It received a huge boost in 1969, when Nelson A. Rockefeller gifted his 3,000-item collection to the museum, and now comprises some 11,000 pieces displayed in the 40,000-square-foot Rockefeller Wing. Highlights of the Met's African, Oceanic, and the American collection include examples of tribal artfrom around the globe, Australian Aboriginal Paleolithic art, as well as a priceless assembly of ceremonial and personal items from the Nigerian Court of Benin.