Wynton Marsalis (center) performs with the Tulsa Symphony and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in his Symphony No. 1, “All Rise,†performed in June at the BOK Center.
“From The Limitations of Now,†hosted by the Philbrook Museum of Art, featured local and national black artists, many of whom created original works for this exhibition that dealt with the African-American experience – past, present and future.
Rochelle Latimer views a screening of a re-enactment of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the immersive exhibits at the Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center.
Visitors are “introduced†to being true Newfoundlanders in this scene from the nationally touring production of “Come From Awayâ€.
The “Touch to Above” sculpture by Demos and Bill Glass Jr. stands in front of the entrance to the First Americans Museum.
Opera superstar Denyce Graves (seen with pianist Howard Watkins) was one of the performers in Tulsa Opera’s “Greenwood Overcomes”, a concert of original works by African-American composers, performed by African-American artists .
Artist Kene Daniels looks at the art at the unveiling of “Steps to Nowhere,” one of the many installations and exhibitions that make up the Greenwood Art Project.
From top to bottom, Majeste Pearson plays Deena, Kubbi is Lorrell and DeVon Douglass is Effie in Theater Tulsa’s “Dreamgirls†production. This Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of a 1960s “girl group” similar to the Supremes.
Guest artist Da’Von Doane (center) performs with the cast of Tulsa Ballet’s “Breakin ‘Bricks”.
American Theater Company presented the world premiere of “An Enemy of the People” by Henrik Ibsen at Tulsa PAC.
The past 12 months have been a period of stocktaking for the city of Tulsa.
Amid the social and political unrest that continues to shake the nation and the omnipresent threat posed by the coronavirus and its potential permutations, the year 2021 has been an opportunity for Tulsa to take a frank and unfailing look at its past, its present and its future.
The 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, and this city’s response to all that this horrific event means, have become a focal point for collective self-examination, to confront the sins of the past, to find ways to live in the present which creates hope for a better future for all.
It’s no surprise, then, that some of the most memorable visual and performing arts moments in 2021 dealt with these issues, in thought-provoking and disturbing, joyful and uplifting ways.
Here are, in chronological order, 10 of the most memorable arts moments in Tulsa for 2021.
“From the Limits of the Present” and “Views of Greenwood”
Two landmark exhibitions, created by the Philbrook Museum of Art, which explored issues of race and reconciliation, division and unity, history and hope, “From the Limitations of Now†and “Views of Greenwood†were captivating and captivating exhibits. “From the Limitations of Now†was an explosion of creativity, as local, regional and national artists created works, many for this exhibition, which attempted to find hope for the future from there. wreckage and resilience of the past, while “Views of Greenwood” featured the work of three Oklahoma photographers – Gaylord Herron, Don Thompson and Eyakem Gulilat – who over the course of nearly 50 years have chronicled of everyday life in the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa.