If you happen to be traveling to Oklahoma for the annual Red Earth Festival, be on the lookout for these great works of art.
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Allan Houser's birth, a first-ever, statewide collaboration of Oklahoma museums and cultural institutions, in conjunction with the Oklahoma Museums Association, are honoring his memory, works and legacy. Special exhibitions, events and educational opportunities are available in Oklahoma now through 2014. NewsOK has a write up of the story that originally appeared in the Sunday Life section of The Oklahoman.
A monumental sculpture of an American Indian couple protectively standing over the cradleboard holding their baby probably isn’t the most obvious sight travelers expect to see on their way to baggage claim.
Since January, though, “The Future” has become a popular attraction at the luggage carousels at Will Rogers World Airport, where the concourse also is the temporary home of a second larger-than-life-size bronze titled “Prayer.”
“People are really enjoying them. They’re two totally different pieces,” said Karen Carney, the airport’s public information and marketing manager. “We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from not only our travelers but from our employees. They’re very excited to be able to have the work in the airport as well. I see a lot of people that stop and they’ll take their picture next to the pieces.”
The airport is among a dozen or so diverse institutions across the state taking part this year in “Celebrating Allan Houser: An Oklahoma Perspective,” a yearlong celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of the state’s most renowned artists.
Museums and attractions exhibiting the Chiricahua Apache painter and sculptor’s work during the centennial include the state Capitol, Oklahoma History Center, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma State University Museum of Art in Stillwater, the Museum of the Red River in Idabel, the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan, the Southern Plains Indian Museum in Anadarko and the Gilcrease and Philbrook museums in Tulsa.
For more information on Allan Houser and where you can see his art, please visit OKHouser.org.
