Oklahoma City Museum of Art working to reinstall Chihuly exhibit
Workers at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art haul in boxes of Dale Chihuly glass art into a staging area Monday as they work to reinstall the exhibit for its grand reopening New Year's Eve. (Photo by David McDaniel, The Oklahoman)
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Oklahoma City Museum of Art working to reinstall Chihuly exhibit
The grand reopening, “Illuminations: Rediscovering the Art of Dale Chihuly,” is set for New Year’s Eve during the Opening Night 2012 festivities.
The northeast gallery on the third floor of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art is beginning to resemble the final scenes of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” with rows of large, nondescript boxes concealing beautiful treasures.
Workers on Monday began hauling the museum’s collection of Dale Chihuly glass art out of storage and into the staging area as they prepare to install it for the third time on the third floor.
“It’s going to be a lot different,” said communications manager Leslie Spears. “We’re giving you a fresh new look.”
On New Year’s Eve, the museum will celebrate the grand reopening of the beloved collection with “Illuminations: Rediscovering the Art of Dale Chihuly.” The exhibit was closed at the beginning of April and the art put into storage to make way for the world premiere of the vast “Passages” exhibit of biblical artifacts and manuscripts.
Redesigned in collaboration with Chihuly Studio, the newly installed galleries will mostly feature the same pieces but will showcase them in a whole new way.
“There’s going to be some editing: some pieces may come out, some pieces may come in,” Spears said. “Some of the areas will give you a 360-degree view.”
Rather than placed against a wall as in the previous layout, the large “Float Boat” and “Ikebana Boat” installations will sit in the middle of a gallery space so people can view the vessels overflowing with colorful glass orbs and forms from all sides.
Visitors to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art will get new views of the Dale Chihuly glass art collection and particularly the "Reeds" installation with the exhibit's grand reopening New Year's Eve. (Photo By Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman Archives)
Visitors also will be able to view from multiple angles the pale purple “Reeds” jutting up from logs. Observation holes have been cut into gallery walls behind and to the side of where the pieces will be placed.
“It will be beautiful,” Spears said. “We just wanted to give you more dimension this time.”
Workers have been constructing the revamped gallery space since “Passages” moved out at the end of October. Before they begin installing the glass art for the third time, they will carefully and thoroughly clean each piece.
“They reconfigured the walls, and we had carpenters in that built new walls and new settings,” Spears said. “There’s really not a path to follow like there was last time; it’s more choose your own path.”
“Illuminations” will be paired with a special exhibition “Chihuly: Northwest,” which will be on view on the third floor through April 8. The temporary exhibit will feature glass creations inspired by the cultures and artwork of Northwest American Indian tribes, said Ernesto Sanchez, head of exhibit design and registration.
In addition, “Chihuly: Northwest” will incorporate American Indian blankets from the Seattle artist’s personal collection along with photographs by Edward S. Curtis from “The North American Indian Portfolio.”
The Chihuly exhibit’s grand reopening on New Year’s Eve not only will be part of downtown Oklahoma City’s massive Opening Night 2012 festivities but also will herald the museum’s 10th anniversary in the Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center.
The museum opened its downtown home in 2002 with “Dale Chihuly: An Inaugural Exhibition,” a display of glass and drawings by the famed glass artist. Through enthusiastic public support and community giving, the museum bought all 18 installations in the exhibition in 2004.
Renamed “Dale Chihuly: The Collection,” the exhibit was reinstalled on April 1, 2004, after 32 days of extensive set building and preparation, and it has remained a popular attraction ever since.
The museum will celebrate Opening Night from 7 to 11 p.m. Dec. 31 with live jazz from Bruce Benson & Studio B and Maurice Johnson and free admission to the galleries with an Opening Night wristband.
Museum members will get to preview “Illuminations” from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 31, and the redesigned Chihuly exhibit will open to the public from 8 to 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
From 11:30 p.m. to midnight, the museum’s Roof Terrace will be host a champagne toast and viewing of the Opening Night fireworks. Tickets are $5 for guests and members, or free to patrons of the Museum Cafe’s annual New Year’s Eve Dinner.
Excitement for the 10th anniversary celebration in 2012 is growing as the museum prepares to reinstall favorites like Chihuly’s “Persian Ceiling,” Spears said.
“The people here love it, and it’s a favorite to bring their out-of-town guests to … so we’re excited to give them a new look at the exhibit,” she said.
Coming soon
“Illuminations: Rediscovering the Art of Dale Chihuly”
Members preview: 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 31.
Public opening: 8 to 11 p.m. Dec. 31 during Opening Night.
Where: Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive.
Information: 236-3100 or www.okcmoa.com.
-BAM
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