The Telfair Museums is set to open "Off the Coast of Paradise: Artists and Ossabaw Island, 1961–Now," a major exhibition exploring the creative legacy of Georgia's third-largest barrier island. Curated by Erin Dunn and Beryl Gilothwest, the show traces the history of the Ossabaw Island Project and the Genesis Project, initiatives that transformed the island into a secluded retreat for artists, thinkers, and scientists for over sixty years.
This exhibition is significant for its scholarly examination of how a specific geographic site influenced the trajectory of American modern and contemporary art. By highlighting the role of the island's matriarch, Eleanor “Sandy” Torrey West, the project underscores the importance of patronage and environmental preservation in fostering artistic innovation within the American Lowcountry.