Downtown Oklahoma City’s Myriad Botanical Gardens is preparing for the installation of the Red Earth Invitational Sculpture Exhibit, an outdoor exhibition of works by renowned Native American artists including Denny Haskew, Enoch Kelly Haney, Janice Albro, Troy Anderson, Shan Gray, Clancy Gray, Gordon Tonips and others. The exhibition, which runs June 8 through Sept. 9, is presented in partnership with Oklahoma City’s Red Earth Inc. and is slated to become an annual event.
“We are thrilled to be working with Red Earth Inc. on this exhibition,” said Maureen Heffernan, executive director of the Myriad Gardens Foundation. “Public art adds beauty and vitality to outdoor spaces and we are deeply appreciative for this opportunity to celebrate Native American artists at the Gardens during the Red Earth Festival and for several months afterward.”
The outdoor works - everything from classical to abstract, to monumental sized pieces of sculpture - will be installed in the Meinders Garden located in the northeast corner of the Myriad Botanical Gardens. The largest sculpture, a bronze called Courage to Lead by Haskew, stands 6 feet tall and weighs approximately 900 pounds.
“The placement of the outdoor exhibition is ideal for the thousands of visitors we are expecting for this year’s Red Earth Festival as well as the general public,” said Eric Oesch, deputy director and director of communications for Red Earth, Inc. “With the festival taking place literally across the street from the Myriad Botanical Gardens, we anticipate a great number of guests will walk over to see this outstanding display of Native American sculpture during the Red Earth Festival.”
The outdoor exhibition will be augmented by an indoor installation of smaller scale sculpture on view in the south entrance of the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory.
The public is invited to celebrate the opening of the exhibition on Friday, June 8, from 5-7pm when the Myriad Botanical Gardens and Red Earth Inc. host an opening reception inside the south entrance of the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. Guests will have an opportunity to meet and visit with the artists, take a guided walking tour of the exhibit and enjoy light refreshments and live music.
All works are for sale and proceeds benefit the Myriad Gardens Foundation, Red Earth Museum and the artists.
For more information, please visit the Myriad Botanical Gardens online at www.myriadgardens.org or call 405-297-3611.
MAJOR WORKS IN THE RED EARTH INVITATIONAL SCULPTURE EXHIBIT
“Courage to Lead” Bronze Sculpture by Denny Haskew – 76” tall x 96”x46”, 900 pounds
“White Deer of Autumn” Bronze Sculpture by Denny Haskew - 72” tall x 38”x28”, 250 pounds
“Dakota Leader” Bronze Sculpture by Janice Albro – 56” tall, 80 pounds
“Yawa” Bronze Sculpture by Troy Anderson - 35”x18”x12”
“Golden Eagle” Bronze Sculpture by Troy Anderson – 32”x26”x24”
Female Figure Bronze Sculpture by Shan Gray – 8”x8”x16”
Bull Bronze Sculpture by Clancy Gray – 30”x15”
Toad Bronze Sculpture by Clancy Gray – 24”x18”x10”
“The Water Jar” Iron Oxide Sandstone by Gordon Tonips – 26”x9”x30”
“Morning Water” Iron Oxide Sandstone by Gordon Tonips – 26”x26”x23”
