Oklahoma Contemporary
Photo: Alex Marks
A close-up detail photograph a contemporary building's metal exterior

New Light

Jan. 26, 2021

Sightlines

Oklahoma Contemporary's new Read page helps you explore stories from your new arts center
A person in a dark winter coat writes in a notebook on a rooftop during an overcast day
Find content related to Oklahoma Contemporary's celebration of National Poetry Month 2020, including a Q&A with Oklahoma author Quraysh Ali Lansana (above), in the new Read page of our website.

You already know the Oklahoma Contemporary blog, New Light, is your source for dynamic, original content about your new arts center in downtown OKC. Now we're making it easier for you to find the best stories surrounding our exhibiting artists, public programs, educational initiatives and more. Our new Read page is designed to be your guide to exploring the world of contemporary art and sparking your own creativity through stories, interviews, guest posts, at-home activities and tons more.

To celebrate today's launch of this exciting new content hub, we're taking a look back at a few of our favorite stories from the past year. Get a taste from each section of our Read page and follow the link below each to explore more content on that theme.


Two young people interact with a large abstract work of video art projected onto a large, square piece of fabric
Members of the Oklahoma Contemporary Teen Art Council interact with Camille Utterback's Entangled (2015) on view in Bright Golden Haze.

Exhibitions

Screen Age Dream: Inside Bright Golden Haze with the Oklahoma Contemporary Teen Arts Council

What can teenagers teach the rest of us about contemporary art? We tagged along with members of the Oklahoma Contemporary Teen Arts Council as they explored our inaugural Bright Golden Haze exhibition for the very first time. No matter your age, the response to experiencing our illuminating group show exploring light and place is pretty universal: "Wow."

Read the full story and be sure to explore more content relating to Oklahoma Contemporary exhibitions at the link below.

More exhibitions content here.


Dancers perform on a public art sculpture resembling winding, conjoined circles outside a metal building on a blue day
Race Dance Company members perform original choreography on Aqueous by Jen Lewin.

Public Programs

RACE for the Prize: OKC dance company brings original, Aqueous-inspired performance to Oklahoma Contemporary

OKC-based RACE Dance Company has produced more than 25 full-length shows since its inception in 2008, including an annual compilation of world-renowned choreographic works. On Oct. 8, the Aqueous-inspired choreography Expanse was performed at dusk, offering optimal viewing of the illuminated light landscape in Campbell Art Park, outside our new home. Read the full story for a glimpse into this unforgettable collaboration, along with an original poem from RACE Creative Director Brandi Kelley that served as a guiding mantra for the performance.

More public programs content here.


A person with long dark hair poses for a photo next to a tree in a blue dress with multi-colored floral patterns near the bottom
Quillworker and Studio School instructor Monica Jo Raphael

Studio School

#ThursdayThree with Monica Jo Raphael: Fifth-generation quillworker brings a family tradition to Studio School Online

Last October, Studio School Online students had the opportunity to discover the art and history of woodland quillwork alongside master quillworker Monica Jo Raphael. Her virtual workshop taught participants how to harvest porcupine quills, sweetgrass and birch bark, shedding light on how these natural elements are prepared for use in woodland quillwork as it relates to the Anishinaabek.

We caught up with the fifth-generation quillworker to talk about her practice, workshop and relationship to the art form handed down from her ancestors. Read the full #ThursdayThree Q&A here.

More Studio School content here.


A photo of a purple flower, blueberries and two stalks of green vegetation against a light purple-dyed fabric
Materials for Oklahoma Contemporary's #AtHomeArt project on creating your own natural dyes.

#AtHomeArt: Natural Dyes

Color your world using natural elements with Camp Contemporary instructor Jessica Petrus

Need to scratch that creative itch? Sponsored by SONIC Drive-In and presented by Oklahoma Contemporary Youth and Family staff, our #AtHomeArt series has a creative project for everyone. Check out our natural dyes project with Camp Contemporary instructor JEssica Petrus here, and explore standout activities from this hands-on series -- all complete with step-by-step instructions on making your own artistic creations from the comfort of your own home -- at the link below.

More #AtHomeArt content here.


An artistic rendering of two people holding each other as a tornado rages in the background with a cow flying through the air
Twister (1996) is just one of the streaming selections included in Oklahoma Contemporary's #FridayFilms staff roundup of movies with Oklahoma connections.

#FridayFilms

Okie Cinema, Part 1: Cinematic selections from Oklahoma, picked by Oklahoma Contemporary staff

Whether you're looking for movies with a beat, documentaries about emerging artists, feature films related to current exhibitions or thoughtful essays on film history, our regular #FridayFilms installment is for you. Frequently featuring multi-part series with offerings of streaming content based on a theme, it's the perfect way to up your streaming game with art-forward fare. The first part of our Okie Cinema series -- featuring contemporary blockbusters, indie gems and more staff favorites with Oklahoma ties -- is a good place to start.

More #FridayFilms content here.


A person with dark hair and glasses poses for a photo, wearing a gray blazer and a beaded necklace
Oklahoma Contemporary Associate Curator Pablo Barrera

Etc.

A Seat at the Table: Oklahoma Contemporary Associate Curator Pablo Barrera on the value of Indigenous voices in contemporary art

Of course, not all of our dynamic online content fits in the above categories. For everything else -- from technical insights into our public virtual public programs to guest posts from exhibiting artists and more -- check out our miscellaneous section below. There you'll find compelling entries like Oklahoma Contemporary Associate Curator Pablo Barrera's essay on why including Indigenous people at all levels of an art institution should be a valued facet of institutional commitment to contemporary art.

More miscellaneous content here.


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Hours

Monday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Closed Tuesday

Wednesday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Thursday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Friday - Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

see additional holidays

Location

Visit us at 11 NW 11th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Phone: 405 951 0000
Fax: 405 951 0003
info@okcontemp.org

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Oklahoma Contemporary
P.O. Box 3062
Oklahoma City, OK 73101

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