Merging indigenous storytelling with the global journeys of resettled refugees, Oklahoma City University’s next art exhibit explores displacement, identity and the shared search for belonging.
Chickasaw-Choctaw visual artist, storyteller and researcher Erin Shaw, in collaboration with the refugee support organization The Spero Project, will exhibit “Many Waters” from Sept. 28 through Nov. 27 in OCU’s Nona Jean Hulsey Art Gallery.
“Many Waters” brings together visual art, personal narratives and community connection, gathering stories of resilience, displacement and belonging. Shaw collaborated directly with resettled Oklahoma community members displaced from Myanmar (Burma), Afghanistan, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Vietnam and Nicaragua for her paintings.
Admission is free. The gallery is located in the Norick Art Center at Florida Avenue and NW 26th Street.
Shaw is known for her vibrant exploration of borderlands. As a child from an Oklahoma farm, Shaw’s work tills the rich soil of dichotomy through color, iconography and narrative. She earned her BFA in studio art from Baylor University and her MFA from the University of Oklahoma. With more than 25 years of educational experience as an international speaker, writer and researcher, Shaw focuses on how creative expression and narrative can serve as tools for personal integration, healing and connection.
To learn more about the artist and her work, visit www.erinshaw.com.
