To accompanyKiki Smith and Paper: The Body, the Muse, and the Spirit, the OSU Museum of Art is
pleased to announce a series of programs featuring visiting artist Wendy Jehlen.
Jehlen, founder and artistic director of ANIKAYA Dance Theater in Somerville, Massachusetts,
is a choreographer and storyteller, communicating through movement and space. Her
performances weave together music, dance, and storytelling, secular and sacred, aural
and visual. Under the direction of Wendy Jehlen, ANIKAYA’s mission is to break down
the perceived boundaries between people, cultures, and art forms.
Kiki Smith and Paper: The Body, the Muse, and the Spiritis on view from Aug. 8 – Dec. 2, 2017, at the OSU Museum of Art. Programs featuring
visiting artist Wendy Jehlen are listed below.
Unfamiliar Butterfly
Saturday, Sept. 23, 7 pm
Presented by [Artspace] at Untitled
LOCATION: 21c Museum Hotel in Oklahoma City
Beginning in darkness, percussive sound builds slowly, revealing an initially imperceptible
rhythm. Thin beams of light from above, from below, from all sides, illuminate her
body one part at a time, revealing more of her. She is quivering, breaking. This
is a study of vulnerability, an embodiment of constant change and travel. Loosely
based on the life cycle of a butterfly, the performance is intended to change in each
rendition.
In addition to this performance, [Artspace] at Untitled is presenting a special display
of Kiki Smith’s artwork, showcasing three pieces in their Library. The pieces will
be on view alongside Fluvial Terra, an exhibition of paper and installation work by
Megan Singleton, who credits Kiki Smith as an influence on her own artwork. During
the Unfamiliar Butterfly performance at 21c Museum Hotel, viewers can explore a continuation
of Singleton’s installation on the 2nd floor gallery. Her work is featured in their
ongoing Elevate program, an exhibition highlighting regional artists. Read more about
Megan Singleton and [Artspace] at Untitled:https://www.1ne3.org/
This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required.
Lilith
Wednesday, Sept. 27, 7:30 pm
LOCATION: Stillwater Community Center (Houston Theater) Inspired by a Kiki Smith sculpture of the same name,Lilithis a study of the story of the first woman, created as Adam’s equal, who rebelled
against Adam and fled Eden. In this performance, the character is explored as a figure
from ancient texts who has been re-envisioned and reclaimed in modern feminist thought.
The performance views Lilith as an observer of history, dwelling outside of linear
time, who constantly relives her own creation, her fall/escape from Adam and Eden,
her punishment (to have one hundred of her children die every day), and the injustice
that led to it. She appears as a creatrix, a serpent, and a winged creature, embodying
the many ways that literature and art has viewed her through the ages, but reinterpreting
these images into one whole, complex being.
This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required.
drawingLAB
Thursday, Sept. 28, 6 pm
LOCATION: Stillwater Center for the Arts A recurring program at the OSU Museum of Art, drawingLAB is an evening of art making
and conversation. In this drawingLAB led by Wendy Jehlen at the Stillwater Center
for the Arts, participants will explore the use of the body as a vehicle for drawing. drawingLAB
is welcoming to visitors of all ages and abilities. The only thing needed is a willingness
to participate.
