After a brief hiatus, Dale Chihuly’s glass creations have returned to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, kicking off the site’s yearlong 10th-anniversary celebration in its current location.
“Illuminations: Rediscovering the Art of Dale Chihuly” re-introduces pieces from the museum collection after a re-conceptualization of its space and design.
“It’s more 3D,” said Alison Amick, curator of collections. “The whole space is designed differently. It’s much more dramatic.”
In addition, an all-new exhibit, “Chihuly: Northwest,” is on display through April 8. Comprised of selections from three decades of Chihuly’s work, it features “Tabac Baskets Table” and some of the artist’s more recent works exploring the color white, both of which delve into his connection to American Indian art and culture.
“[He’s an] important, prominent artist,” said Amick.
Since moving downtown to 415 Couch in 2002, the OKCMOA has displayed Chihuly’s 55-foot sculpture, the commmissioned Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick Memorial Tower, in its foyer, as well as the world’s largest permanent installation of his blown-glass works, numbering 3,500.
Amick said Chihuly’s popular “Oklahoma Persian Ceiling” is back, under which visitors walk to look up at the pieces, but that the background is now painted white, allowing the colors to play off the walls in different ways.
