M.J. Alexander, portrait of a generation : sons and daughters of the red earth : North Gallery, February 13-April 15, 2012.

              M.J. Alexander North Gallery February 13 - April 15, 2012
file:////maindc/users/gphillips/PDFs%2067/Capitol%20Art/MJ_Alexander_North_Gallery_2012.html[9/28/2012 3:57:39 PM]
M.J. Alexander
Peja West by MJ Alexander
Independence Day by MJ Alexander
M.J. Alexander
Portrait of a Generation:
Sons and Daughters of the Red Earth
North Gallery - February 13 - April 15, 2012
Generations ago, the name of this land was
whispered with overtones of hope, of dread,
of possibility: Indian Territory. Oklahoma.
It was a feared final stop for tribes forcibly
removed from their ancestral homes and told
to start over. For others, it was a place to
reinvent themselves. They arrived in search
of land. Opportunity. Fortune.
Whether invoking its name as a prayer or a
curse, those making the trek here hoped the
land would allow for a better life for
themselves - and for their children.
Now at the beginning of its second century
of statehood, Oklahoma is home to 3.7
million residents. Nearly 1 million of them
are aged 18 or younger.
They are spread over 70,000 square miles,
encompassing the wheat belt, the Bible belt,
the Confederate South and the American
West. Some are descended from Land Run
homesteaders, pioneering ranchers and
oilmen, survivors of the Trail of Tears.
Others were born on the other side of the
nation or across the globe.
This project introduces the youngest generation of one of the most fascinating states in the
union. From May through October 2010, Oklahoma photographer M.J. Alexander drove more
than 11,000 miles - from the Rita Blanca Grassland to the Tallgrass Prairie, from the Blue
River to the Glass Mountains - to meet the children of the 46th state.
Alexander found them keeping traditions
alive - through the rodeo circuit, harvest
festivals, ranch barbeques, Vietnamese
ceremonies, cowboy church services, Mexican
folkloric dances, Czech parades, Indian
language schools - and others being
introduced to life in Oklahoma for the first
time. She found children at food pantries,
looking for their next meal; children rooted
for seven generations to the same piece of
land; children already on the road to
national recognition; children looking to
make a difference in ways big and small.
Some want to leave their hometown in the rearview mirror, to return later - or maybe
Capitol Exhibitions
The Capitol is home to four art
galleries, exhibiting works of
current and past Oklahoma
artists.
East Gallery
North Gallery
Governor's Gallery
Betty Price Gallery
About the North Gallery
Located on the first floor of the
Capitol, the North Gallery
features photography and works
on paper by current Oklahoma
artists. Exhibits rotate
approximately every 60 days.
Hours:
Weekdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Weekends 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (use
west entrance)
The North Gallery is curated by
the Oklahoma Arts Council. For
more information contact Alyson
Moses at 405.521.2931 or
alyson.moses@arts.ok.gov.
Past North Gallery
Exhibitions
Selection of Artists for
Exhibition
Upcoming North Gallery
Exhibits
Sarah Harless (Sayre)
December 3, 2012 -
February 3, 2013
Grant McClintock (Tulsa)
February 11 - April 7, 2013
Sam Joyner (Tulsa)
April 15 - June 16, 2013
About Us Our Programs Grants Arts in Schools Arts in Communities Art at the Capitol Art Networks
Tweet 0 Like 2