2023-2024

September 12 - October 22, 2023

In the exhibition “Savages and Princesses: The Persistence of Native American Stereotypes,” twelve contemporary Native American visual artists confront misconceptions of Indigenous identity and culture with humor, defiance, and honesty. Artworks include ceramics, prints, and mixed media pieces from found objects such as vinyl records. Oklahoma artist and editor of First American Art Magazine America Meredith initially curated this nationally-touring exhibit.

“Savages and Princesses: The Persistence of Native American Stereotypes” embraces Native Americans’ power to replace stereotypical images that permeate the current pop culture landscape. Recognizing that stereotypes often occur without conscious awareness, the exhibition includes didactic information that explores common stereotypes about Native Americans that are falsehoods, followed by the truths behind them.

The artists represented are: Matthew Bearden (Citizen Potawatomi-Kickapoo-Blackfeet-Lakota) mixed media artist, painter, Tulsa, OK; Heidi BigKnife (Shawnee Tribe), jeweler, Tulsa, OK; Mel Cornshucker (United Keetoowah Band), ceramic artist, Tulsa, OK; Tom Farris (Otoe-Missouria-Cherokee), mixed media artist, Norman, OK; Anita Fields (Osage-Muscogee), ceramic artist, Stillwater, OK; Shan Goshorn (Eastern Band Cherokee), photographer, Tulsa, OK; Juanita Pahdopony (Comanche), sculptor, Lawton, OK; K. H. Poole (Caddo-Delaware), draftsperson, Oklahoma City, OK; Zach Presley (Chickasaw), collage and digital artist, Durant, OK; Hoka Skenandore (Oneida-Oglala Lakota-Luiseño), mixed media artist, Shawnee, OK; Karin Walkingstick (Cherokee Nation), ceramic artist, Claremore, OK; and Micah Wesley (Muscogee-Kiowa), mixed media artist, Norman, OK.

The exhibition was made possible in part by a grant from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Presented originally at Tulsa’s “108|Contemporary” in 2016, this exhibition is organized by “ExhibitsUSA,” a program of the Mid-America Arts Alliance.

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November 1 - December 16, 2023

In Threads: Stories and Histories through Textiles, we meet four artists from different walks of life who use the material qualities of fibers and woven panels to tackle larger subjects. While strength, flexibility, and the process of attaching and detaching give textiles a practical role in everyday life, these same characteristics provide apt metaphors for encountering displacement, injustice, and adversity. Featured artists include Maria-Theresa Fernandes, Baltimore, MD; Lahib Jaddo, Lubbock, TX; Anthony Pabillano, Houston, TX, and Michelle Talibah, Baltimore, MD.

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January 16 - March 10, 2024

“Floating Beauty” examines historical perspectives on women and their depiction in art in Edo Period Japan (1615 - 1858). Through fifty-one woodblock prints created in the ukiyo-e style and an assortment of Japanese cultural objects, this exhibition highlights female characters in literature, kabuki theatre, and poetry; courtesans and geisha; and wives and mothers from different social classes performing the duties of their station, in order to gain some insight into the lives of women in pre-modern Japan.

In the tradition of ukiyo-e, women are most commonly represented in the “bijinga” (pictures of beautiful women) genre. Idealized depictions show elegant female forms in sumptuous layers of patterned kimonos, strolling leisurely through gardens or passing the time in tastefully decorated rooms. These prints would have served as souvenirs of the ephemeral world of the Yoshiwara, the licensed pleasure district of the city of Edo, or modern-day Tokyo.

Looking beyond the “bijinga,” this exhibition shows that women in Edo society were hardworking and industrious individuals. Society scorned idleness in women of all ages, and even high-ranking females were required to perform a litany of tasks. Women were expected to be subservient but not weak; weakness would not run a demanding household or manage business affairs. For those outside of a traditional household role such as the courtesans and geisha of the Yoshiwara, life was even more harsh. Similarly, female literary characters were well-defined and robust, but often did not fare well, eventually falling victim to the devices of men.

The woodblock prints include works by ukiyo-e masters Suzuki Harunobu, Kitagawa Utamaro, Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Kunisada, Kikugawa Eizan, and Utagawa Hiroshige. The entire exhibition is taken from the permanent collection of the Reading Public Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania, who organized the exhibition

April 1 - May 11, 2024

Through a close look at historical prints and objects, this exhibit traces the evolution of graphic design, telling a story of how trademarks became meaningful symbols of trust and reputation in American consumer culture. In advertisements, package designs, and creative logos, advertising professionals learned to use eye-catching visuals and salient cultural references to speak to the public through print media. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, they refined these strategies, helping to create America’s modern consumer society. This exhibit coincides with the publication of Jennifer Black’s book, Branding Trust: Advertising & Trademarks in Nineteenth-Century America (University of Pennsylvania Press, Dec. 2023)

June 26 - July 26, 2024

Since the 1700s, Pennsylvania has been the hearth of quilting in the United States as communities pieced together fabric in traditional and inventive ways. From angular geometric patterns to fluid florals, these quilts, most on loan from the Wyoming County Historical Society, honor the creative arts of this region. Also on display will be the Northeast Regional AIDS Coalition Memorial Quilt.