Oklahoma Contemporary's new downtown location will bring nationally and internationally acclaimed artists to the heart of Oklahoma City -- beginning with the inaugural exhibition, Bright Golden Haze, in the main gallery.

The new building will also dedicate a third-floor gallery space to celebrate Oklahoma’s art. Oklahoma Contemporary envisions this gallery as a means to highlight the diversity of Oklahoma’s artistic community and the ways in which Oklahoma artists contribute to the contemporary art world.

The first exhibition in the third-floor gallery was Shadow on the Glare, a reference from Plainview: I, a poem by Oklahoma Centennial State Poet Laureate N. Scott Momaday. Shadow on the Glare featured photo and video works that critically respond to Bright Golden Haze’s themes of light and place — in this case, focusing particularly on the landscapes of Oklahoma. In conjunction with the inaugural exhibition in the main gallery, Shadow on the Glare showcased the resonance between our local artists and their globally recognized peers.

Featured artists included photographers Keli Mashburn (Osage), Ryan RedCorn (Osage), M.J. Alexander, Marjorie Bontemps, Sam Charboneau and Nosamyrag, as well as new media artist Josh Tonsfeldt (Cherokee) and experimental filmmakers Marcella Ernest (Ojibwe) and Billy Palumbo.