"Art is Politics"
Tribes 131
131 N.W. 24th, Norman
opening reception, 2-5 p.m. Sunday
through Nov. 24
329-4442, www.tribes131.com
The exhibit "Art Is Politics" asks the question: If art is politics, are artists lunatics?
"Art without a political edge is crap," artist Murv Jacob said. "The politicians don't tell us what to do "? we tell them. So the artists whose work isn't political are the real lunatics."
The show features Jacob's work along with Oklahoma artists Roy Boney Jr. and Joseph Erb, from graphic design to more contemporary paintings. Although all of the artists are Cherokee descendants, visitors should not expect a stereotypical portrayal of Native art, Jacob said.
"We're artists," Jacob said. "We're not going to paint landscapes or sad Indians sitting on horses."
Each incorporated various media to create pieces that share different messages. One work, Boney's "Disciples," depicts an intergalactic scene between two spacemen and a group of American Indians.
For several pieces, Jacob scoured garage sales for old landscape paintings, cannibalized them and remade the scenes into his own works. The collaboration between the artists was one of camaraderie laced with creativity, the artists said.
The show opens 2-5 p.m. Sunday with a reception at Tribes 131, 131 N.W. 24th in Norman. The event includes short films, book signings and talks from the artists. The exhibit is on display through Nov. 24.
For more information, call 329-4442 or visit www.tribes131.com. "?Ta'Chelle Jones
