NORMAN, OKLA. — For more than a century, students have been displaying artwork at the University of Oklahoma. The 101st annual School of Art and Art History Student Exhibition will open with a complimentary public lecture and reception at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.
The competitive, juried show is held each spring semester and highlights the diverse works of art created by OU School of Art and Art History students. The evening will feature a lecture at 6 p.m. by guest juror Chad Alligood, curator at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark. Alligood recently co-curated State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now, an exhibition that features 102 artists from every region of the country.
An awards ceremony is scheduled for 8 p.m., during which multiple students will receive awards with cash prizes, including the top award, the T.G. Mays Purchase Award, which is offered to a student whose artwork becomes a part of the museum’s permanent collection.
“The School of Art and Art History has held its annual student exhibition for more than 100 years, and each year we look forward to seeing the new and exciting work being produced by our students,” said Todd Stewart, associate professor of art, technology and culture, and co-interim director of the OU School of Art and Art History. “We are honored to have Chad Alligood of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art as this year’s juror. With the help of Mr. Alligood, we have worked alongside the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art to put together a top-notch exhibition that will showcase a selection of work by our creative students.”
This year’s exhibition features nearly 50 works by students using multiple mediums, including paintings, sculpture, photography and video.
The exhibition is on display Jan. 20 through Feb. 15. A gallery talk featuring winning students is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, in the museum’s Nancy Johnston Records Gallery.
Additional information about the OU School of Art and Art History is available online at art.ou.edu. The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s website is ou.edu/fjjma.
The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art is located in the OU Arts District on the corner of Elm Avenue and Boyd Street, at 555 Elm Ave., on the OU Norman campus.
Admission to the museum is complimentary to all visitors, thanks to a generous gift from the OU Athletics Department. The museum is closed on Mondays. Information and accommodations on the basis of disability are available by calling (405) 325-4938.
