Description

First-time grantee Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center (OCAC) is organizing the first museum retrospective of Oklahoma-based artist Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds (b. 1954, Cheyenne/Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho), including works from across Heap of Birds’ nearly 40-year career. Best known for paintings and prints that employ text and language, as well as a bold use of color, Heap of Birds’ multi-media oeuvre confronts the histories of violence against Native American communities and exposes the targeted disenfranchisement of people and the destruction of ecosystems. The exhibition will include dozens of the artist’s signature text-based paintings and prints, as well as commissioned public works, and rarely exhibited Murano glass vessels. In an effort to make this artist’s work accessible to all, OCAC plans to make this exhibition and its related programming free to all visitors.  
This grant aligns with the AAP strategic goal 1a: To advance innovative museum projects that prioritize representation and equity through the preservation, study, and presentation of work by under-represented artists of color, collaborations with diverse external partners, and outreach to underserved communities.