ADA – East Central University will be well represented as ‘Momentum’, a semi-annual art exhibition sponsored by the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, will be held on March 7-10 at the Oklahoma City Farmers Public Market.
‘Momentum’ exhibits Oklahoma artists, ages 30 and under, in a venue created specifically for them, helping them gain experience and meet new audiences.
Of the 135 works in the exhibit, 29 come from ECU faculty, alumni and students. Additionally, there are six major awards presented, including three spotlight awards, worth $2,000, a juror’s award and two awards of merit. This year, two of the spotlight awards went to people associated with ECU. Eli Casiano, a 2013 ECU graduate, and Katy Seals, who joined the ECU faculty in 2013, were two of the spotlight award winners.
Casiano will present a large geometric sculpture, incorporating imagery and sound that “reflect society’s obsession with an unachievable sense of pleasure.”
Seals’ installation employs humor, in the form of disproportionately large women’s underwear embroidered with country music lyrics to exploring the complex emotions of divorce.
Of the 24 ‘Momentum’ exhibits, this is the 24th time at least one of the six major awards has gone to an ECU alum, faculty member or student.
“The focus of the Momentum exhibition has always been to showcase the young artistic talent that exists all across the state of Oklahoma,” said Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition Associate Director Kelsey Karper. “Student, graduate and faculty artists from East Central University have consistently been selected for inclusion in the exhibition, often winning some of the program’s top awards. I’m always impressed by the ambition of these artists and it’s clear that ECU is preparing them for opportunities through quality instruction and encouragement.”
This year’s Momentum Oklahoma City curator was Nathan Lee, an artist and art activist and founder of Creative Entrepreneur Support in Oklahoma City. One exhibition is held in Oklahoma City and the other in Tulsa each year.
Other ECU students, faculty and alumni included in this exhibit are: Chelsie Austin, “Put a Fork in it” oil on canvas; Ruthie Bustamante, “Preserving the Memory”, mixed media; Tanner Capps, “Bitchcraft 31:30”, mixed media on paper; Capps, “Bitchcraft 8:8”, mixed media on paper; Richard Dillard, “Forcefully Content”, photo; and Dillard, “Justification”, oil on canvas, magazine clippings; Austin Hamm, “Cyptid”, ink and watercolor on paper; Alexandra Knox, “For Kiev”, cotton, wool; Lynsey Loudermilk, “520”, paper plates; Martin Mireles, “Daaamn!”, watercolor; and Mireles, “La Canaca”, taco stand cart installation.
Also included are: Zachary Presley, “Indian Blanket Composition 5”, archival digital print; Jessica Sanchez, “Deminted”, oil on Masonite; Sanchez, “Are you listening”, oil on Masonite; Jessica Stephenson, “Warrior”, acrylic; Stephenson, “Self-aware”, acrylic; Stuart Whitis, “Roan Ens Ohm”, oil, fluorescent spray-paint on canvas; Whitis, “Brazen Valves:, oil fluorescent spray-paint on canvas; and Nicole Wood, “Tiny Temples”, oil and woodcut on panel.
Video works by Evan Seely, Nathan Austin and Katelyn Holmes, along with a collaborative work by Cameron Gillespie and Nathan Palmer will also be featured.
There will be a $15 admission charge on the first two days of the event, March 6-7, from 8 p.m. to midnight. The last two days are free and the operational hours are from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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