Romy Owens, Marium Rana, and Sarah Ahmad are Oklahoma-based artists who make large-scale works that are both beautiful and surprising that can be viewed at their Off the Wall exhibit at the Contemporary Arts Center. These artists work with fiber, textiles, and mixed media. They use a wide range of techniques, from sewing and quilting to intricate painting and cutting-edge tools.
‘Off the Wall’ Exhibit
Ahmad, Owens, and Rana make the Mary Leflore Clements Oklahoma Gallery look and feel differently than it ever has before.
Instead of being limited to the walls, their art is 3D and goes up in the air to fill the gallery’s physical, vertical space.
Off the Wall wants visitors to see the gallery in a completely new way than they would in a traditional white cube.
How the Exhibit is Different
Ahmad, Owens, and Rana use three different types of art to talk about the same things that everyone goes through.
They can be seen as individual constellations on topics like tradition, chaos, and travel. This means that each piece can be seen as a separate thing.
Placing all three works in conversation with each other makes people think about how we are all connected. Each piece has an interactive element that shows how different perspectives can turn common ideas into new and different experiences.
How Do Visitors See the Art
An image from one of the scrolls Rana made is shown and it’s done in watercolor and mixed media. We can see party masks, stairs, and a church, as well as other things.
An art gallery spokesman said that Rana’s hanging scrolls “evoke the highly detailed 16th century Mughal Empire painting styles” that Rana was taught to paint while living in Afghanistan.
“Nothing Can Be Perfect,” by Romy Owens, is a close-up of this. She took this picture for Ann Sherman.
A corner of the gallery is defined by polyester thread and nail hooks. Owens’ installation is more minimalist and conceptual, but still beautiful in its own way, as you can see in this picture of it.
“These intersecting lines are designed as an extension of the surrounding architecture’s angles, placing viewers inside of the installation,” an Oklahoma Contemporary Art representative explained.
Visitor Information
The Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center is featuring the three-person art display through June 2, which is on the third floor.
The best is that it’s free. You don’t have to pay for anything.
It’s open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m every day but Tuesday, when it’s closed.
