The OKC Museum of Art’s newest exhibition of creativity is concentrating on the presence of the third dimension, and hoping thereby to give visitors’ conceptions of an art form a little extra depth. “Off the Wall” is an overview – a relief map, if you will – of evolutions taking place over the last 100 years of sculpture, featuring nearly two dozen examples from the museum’s collection.
“This exhibition brings together a diverse array of artistic practices and materials to showcase the many different approaches to sculpture over the last century,” says curator Roja Najafi, who calls it “a wonderful snapshot into the recent history of sculpture and the spatial quality of the visual arts.”
Some of the individual artists’ names may be familiar – Lisa Hoke, Alfonso Ossorio, Alexander Calder – but the exhibition’s primary impact is in seeing the practice and media change over time, from more traditional marble and bronze to incorporating paper, plastic or repurposed objects.
“Artists are still experimenting with and expanding the definition of sculpture,” says Bryon Chambers, manager of tours and adult learning. “One of the exciting aspects of this exhibition is that it showcases the change in the way artists approach sculpture – not just in the techniques they use, but also in the tools and materials. I hope visitors will leave with a different understanding of and appreciation for sculpture.”
Off the Wall is on display through May 12, which should allow plenty of time to walk around and take in all its angles. Visit okcmoa.com for more information.