MEMPHIS.- The Art Museum of the University of Memphis presents the exhibit Accidental Mysteries through October 21. John and Teenuh Foster share a passionate interest in collecting works of art by self-taught artists, as well as anonymous objects that to them, share attributes of great design and mystery. They consider vernacular photography to be a long overlooked genre of folk art, capturing elements of history, sociology, psychology and often “accidental” moments on film. John is a founder and past-president of ENVISION Folk Art of Missouri, where he also served as editor of the Journal that he produced for ten years. He is a member of the Advisory Board of The Folk Art Society of America and the Nek Chand Foundation in London, UK.

Vernacular photography is the name given to everyday photographs, usually created by non-professionals. The photographer is often unknown. Examples are travel and family snapshots, school class portraits, identification photos, and photobooth images.

The use of vernacular (or 'found') photography in art practice is almost as old as photography itself. However in recent years the technique has become far more commonplace and is now a widely accepted genre of art photography.

Artists who have made extensive use of vernacular photography in their work include Stephen Bull, Dick Jewell, Patrick McCoy and Joachim Schmid. Vernacular photography is increasingly becoming a popular investment by art collectors.