The Allure of the Decoy

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The Allure of the Decoy
New exhibit features works of Master Craftsmen from California and U.S.

SAN FRANCISCO — The decoy, a hunting device intended to lure wild birds, has a long history in North America. Native Americans first fashioned them from reeds and other natural materials more than one thousand years ago.  European-Americans followed their lead and began carving decoys from wood sometime in the late 1700s.  A simple tool, the decoy transcends functionality and represents one of the most extraordinary forms of American folk art.

The Allure of the Decoy features more than seventy examples from master craftsmen such as “ Fresh Air Dick” Janson and Ed Snyder.  Although the work of California carvers is given special emphasis, the exhibition includes remarkable examples from the Ward Brothers of Maryland, Shang Wheeler of Connecticut, Robert and Catherine Elliston of the Illinois River region, and the Mason Factory of Detroit. 

Images from the exhibition are available for download at: www.flysfo.com/web/page/sfo_museum/about/press_images/exh-decoys.html.

The Allure of the Decoy is located pre-security in the International Terminal Main Hall, San Francisco International Airport.   The exhibition is on view to all Airport visitors from April 29, 2011 to November 6, 2011.  There is no charge to view the exhibition.

SFO Museum

The SFO Museum program was established by the Airport Commission in 1980 for the purposes of humanizing the Airport environment, providing visibility for the unique cultural life of San Francisco, and providing educational services for the traveling public.  The Museum was granted initial accreditation from the American Association of Museums in 1999, reaccredited in 2005, and has the distinction of being the only accredited museum in an airport. Today, SFO Museum features approximately twenty galleries throughout the Airport terminals displaying a rotating schedule of art, history, science, and cultural exhibitions, as well as the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, a permanent collection dedicated to the history of commercial aviation. For more information, please visit www.flysfo.com/museum .

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About San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) offers non-stop links with more than 31 international points on 29 international carriers. The Bay Area's largest airport connects non-stop with more than 69 cities in the U.S. on 20 domestic airlines. For up-to-the-minute departure and arrival information, airport maps and details on shopping, dining, cultural exhibitions, ground transportation and more, visit www.flysfo.com. SFO was voted “North America’s Best Airport” in 2010 by passengers for its modern and efficient facilities and its multi-modal transportation systems.