Priceless masterpieces from the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) are currently on display in various locations in Oxford Township and Village.

No, they weren’t stolen from the museum or auctioned off to pay some city debts. They’re actually reproductions of famous paintings that were brought here last week as part of the DIA’s Inside/Out program.

Currently, eight paintings are display from now through Oct. 31 – four in the downtown area, two in Seymour Lake Township Park, one outside the Oxford Public Library and one by the Polly Ann Trail (see yellow box right for the exact locations and information about the paintings).

The Inside/Out program is designed to expose communities to a sample of the DIA’s vast collection and inspire people to visit the museum in downtown Detroit to see the real thing.

“It’s an opportunity to bring (the DIA’s) resources here at no cost to the community,” said Joe Frost, executive director of the Oxford Downtown Development Authority (DDA). “This program’s actually grant-funded by the Knight Foundation.”

Headquartered in Miami, the Knight Foundation, which has a Detroit office, awards grants to promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts, according to its website www.knightfoundation.org.

This isn’t the first time the Inside/Out program has visited Oxford. In 2011, seven paintings were set up at locations throughout the village.

Frost is excited to have “world-class artwork” in the community because it could help attract visitors to the downtown area and stimulate the local economy.

“We’re reaching out to a completely different audience. It’s going to bring art lovers downtown,” he explained. “Hopefully, after they walk around and (experience) some art, they’ll go into one of the businesses and spend some money.”

Frost’s favorite painting is the one on display by the Oxford Public Library, “Still Life: A Letter Rack,” painted in 1692 by Dutch artist Edwart Collyer and purchased by the DIA in 2002.

It depicts a collection of everyday items from that time period such as a feather pen, a letter sealed with wax, a comb, a newspaper and a string of pearls.

“As somebody who’s passionate about history, it kind of speaks to me from that standpoint,” Frost said. “It’s a really cool painting, really well done.”

Frost noted the Inside/Out program is a “great opportunity” for not only Oxford to “partner” with the DIA, but also for local entities, such as the DDA, library, township parks and recreation department, and Polly Ann Trail, to work together.

Library Director Bryan Cloutier is the one who approached Frost with the idea to participate in the Inside/Out program. The parks and recreation department was then asked to join in.

“It kind of happened organically,” Frost explained. “We thought the more, the merrier.”

Visit www.dia.org for more information.