Curating the West

Each Month We Ask Leading Museum Curators About What’s Going On In Their World.

Emil Bisttram (1895-1976). Oversoul, ca. 1941, oil on Masonite, 35½ x 26½”. Private collection. Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York. © Emil Bisttram.

Susan Green, Marcia Manhart Endowed Associate Curator for Contemporary Art and Design
Philbrook Museum of Art, (918) 748-5375, www.philbrook.org

What event (gallery show, museum exhibit, etc.) in the next few months are you looking forward to, and why?
Another World: The Transcendental Painting Group will be on view at the Philbrook Museum of Art this fall. The exhibition, organized by the Crocker Art Museum, highlights the extraordinary work of 11 artists associated with the Transcendental Painting Group (TPG). In the early-20th century, the TPG used the power of abstraction to explore spiritual ideas, emotions, and experiences. These immersive works, such as Agnes Pelton’s Birthday (1943) and Emil Bisttram’s Oversoul (ca. 1941), are powerful intersections of abstraction and the search for universal truths. The need to express shared uncertainties and the search for deeper meaning is just as applicable today.

What are you reading?
An American Sunrise by Joy Harjo, U.S. Poet Laureate and Tulsa resident, is evocative and powerful. Works like “Cehotosakvtes,” which relates a song sung during the forced march of Removal, call upon shared histories, while poems like “Washing My Mother’s Body” are incredibly personal. But within that meditation on memory and grief is a statement of profound love that is universal.

Interesting exhibit, gallery opening or work of art you’ve seen recently.
The First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City is a work of art—from the powerful, symbolic architecture to the thoughtfully developed (and delicious) offerings in the restaurant. The exhibitions reflect the vision of the curatorial team, led by senior curator heather ahtone and community members from each of the 39 tribal nations headquartered in Oklahoma. Their collaborative work created a space of immersive energy. The galleries celebrate the distinct histories and cultures of each of the tribes, and, together, the power of First Americans.

What are you researching at the moment?
Over the last year, I’ve been taking a deep look at the institutional history of Philbrook, which was built as a home in 1926 to 1927 and then opened as a museum in 1939. I’ve researched more about Lena Jefferson (ca. 1865-1907), the Mvskoke (Creek) woman who was originally allotted the land upon which Philbrook was built. I also want to acknowledge not just the architect of Philbrook but also the craftspeople who ornamented the Villa, creating the spaces we love today. And I want to learn more about our visitors over the years—discovering treasured memories and what questions today’s visitors have. In one of the museum galleries, we’ve created a space that presents this information in an informal way and invites exploration, questions, and conversation. We hope to uncover new stories that reveal a more open and equitable understanding of our history.

What is your dream exhibit to curate? Or see someone else curate?
Tulsa is one of America’s foremost destinations for Art Deco architecture. I would love to see an exhibition focusing on Art Deco design, fashion, and sculpture in Tulsa while also exploring contemporary design inspired by Art Deco.—