Submitted by Osage Nation Foundation
First Americans Museum (FAM), with support by the Osage Nation Museum and the Osage Nation Foundation, is proud to announce the opening of the Voices from the Drum traveling exhibition. The exhibition, on display in the Community Gallery at First Americans Museum through March 31, 2023, features 20 drums and shares the important role of the instruments within the Osage community.
“Voices from the Drum is a project several years in the making and a collaboration between some of the most talented artists in the Osage Nation,” said Bill Webb, executive director at the Osage Nation Foundation. The exhibit was developed specifically to share the Osage culture with those who might not have been able to experience it firsthand, according to Webb.
“It is carefully and thoughtfully curated to communicate the value and importance of the drum in Osage culture and to allow those seeing the exhibit to see and feel what it is like to be a part of an Osage dance or other cultural event where the drum takes center stage,” he said.
The Voices from the Drum exhibition is thematically arranged to examine how the artists approached the drum, through their culture, their artistic vision, and in relationship to the annual I Lonschka dance. In addition to the 20 drums, the exhibition also includes fine art and a digital display.
“With the drum at the center of the dialogue, participating artists articulate Osage experiences around the drum through visual narratives,” said Marla K. Redcorn-Miller, Osage Nation Museum director. “Their resulting collaborative works of art offer a path of understanding to a cultural item that has long kept our people together.”
The exhibit assembles the creativity, knowledge and talent of 19 practicing artists including: Norman Akers, Dante Biss-Grayson, Joe Don Brave, June Carpenter, Sarah Elsberry, Anita Fields, Yatika Fields, Jessica Moore Harjo, Kilan Jacobs, Jonathan Lunsford, Harleigh Moore, Ted Moore, Vanessa Moore, Rock Pipestem, Wendy Ponca, Alex Ponca Stock, Jon Red Corn, Addie Roanhorse, and Jen Tiger.
“Presenting this exhibition for FAM audiences aligns with our commitment to sharing the diversity, stories, and contributions of First American people,” said Dr. Heather Ahtone (Choctaw/Chickasaw), FAM director of Curatorial Affairs. “We look forward to working with tribes to promote the unique cultures and lifeways of our community.”
A panel discussion will be followed by a reception and a guided tour of the exhibition by curator Marla Redcorn-Miller on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, at 1 p.m. The exhibition is free to the public, no gallery admission required. For more details visit www.famok.org.
