Sacred Words, the remarkable art of calligraphy and illumination
Oklahoma City – Visitors have an opportunity to engage with and learn about the art of illumination at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art (OKCMOA) this fall. Guests can attend public lectures, tours, films, classes and workshops designed to complement the special exhibition Sacred Words: The Saint John’s Bible and the Art of Illumination.
“Sacred Words provides many points of interest for our visitors, and we tried to stay true to that with our programming,” said Tracy Truels, Director of Learning and Engagement. “Whether you’re interested in calligraphy, illumination, contemporary art, religion or simply hearing more from our curators, the programming for this exhibition includes something for you.
“We’ll have artists’ tools on view in the galleries next to the folio pages, as well as an animal search for kids to enjoy. Our Sonic Free Family Day, Sunday, November 13, will focus on the art of the book and include calligraphy demonstrations and art making. And, we’ll host two public lectures by renowned religious scholars.”
Public tours are scheduled throughout the exhibition and include special guest tours with Tim Ternes, director of The Saint John’s Bible project, as well as a tour with coordinating curator, Catherine Shotick. Pre-registration is recommended at www.okcmoa.com.
SONIC Free Family Day: The Art of the Book is on Sunday, Nov. 13 from noon to 5 p.m.
The day includes free admission, hands-on art projects and in-gallery experiences throughout the entire Museum. Diane von Arx, an artist from “The Saint John’s Bible,” will lead calligraphy demonstrations.
Museum Films will screen The Decalogue, comprised of 10 hour-long films inspired by each of the Ten Commandments. The Decalogue will screen opening weekend (Oct. 14-16) in sets of two episodes, with discounts available for the entire 10-episode program. Legendary American critic Roger Ebert named The Decalogue one of the “10 best films of all time” in 2002.
Workshops will involve gallery and classroom activities and will be a fun way for families to experience the exhibition together. While some classes and workshops include an additional fee, Drop-in Art, which is come-and-go art making for all ages on Saturday afternoons, is free with admission.
Sacred Words will present the concept, historical context, technical execution and significance of The Saint John’s Bible and illumination as an art form. The Saint John’s Bible is the first illuminated, handwritten Bible of monumental size to be commissioned by a Benedictine monastery in the modern era. Sacred Words includes 70 selected folios from The Saint John’s Bible as well as other historical illuminated manuscripts, such as Books of Hours, Qu’ran pages and Torah scrolls.
Adult tickets to the exhibition are $12 and include admission to the Museum, including OKCMOA’s permanent collection. Discounted tickets are available for active military members, seniors, students, groups and children. Oklahoma school groups up to grade 12 receive free admission. Members of the Museum receive free admission to the exhibition.
This exhibition will be open Oct. 15, 206 through Jan. 8, 2017. For Sacred Words full schedule, visit bit.ly/gayly14.
Copyright 2016 The Gayly – November 3, 2016 @ 1:45 p.m.