OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — For Oklahoma Metropolis residents, Robert Montgomery’s poem, THE STARS PULLED DOWN FOR REAL, lit up in LED lights on the north garden of the Oklahoma Modern, is a miniature landmark. It stands out to drivers and passersby as a reminder of the highly effective weight phrases carry.
On April 12, Montgomery’s work will depart, however in remembrance of the worth of poetry, Oklahoma Modern hosted households from throughout Oklahoma Metropolis Saturday for a Child’s Open Mic, joined by dwell music and DJ-ing.
Poetry and Chill
The occasion was primarily a live-music occasion, with the skills of Poetry and Chill and Izzie sounding off on the mic. Poetry and Chill OKC is an leisure firm, primarily for adults, however with a non-profit wing devoted to youth.
Its founder, Gregory II, describes Poetry and Chill’s perform as internet hosting “workshops to provide college students a protected house to precise themselves freely, by way of music, poetry, hip-hop, writing, and communication expertise.”
Saturday, these expertise had been on full show as Gregory II and different artists carried out unique music. Gregory himself shared a few of his poetry with the Oklahoma Modern, portray a picture of what it’s wish to develop up below the highlight of race in America and in Oklahoma Metropolis.
Open mic
When Poetry and Chill weren’t performing, the mic was opened as much as kids and adults alike. Most youngsters on the Oklahoma Modern had been stored pleasantly entertained by the actions provided by the museum, however just a few courageous souls ventured as much as the open mic.
One sang a tender cowl of Billie Eilish’s track “Beautiful,” (function picture) and her expertise and bravado received a robust spherical of applause from the viewers.
One other, having written a poem on fall, shared her poetry by way of her mother, not fairly plucky sufficient to talk herself however nonetheless taking the courageous step many artists concern: sharing one’s work with others.
Most youngsters, nevertheless, had been stored busy by the poetry-writing actions themselves. The museum provided pages of writing prompts, artwork provides, and even pages from a guide to put in writing block-poetry, a very trendy twist on poem-writing.
The open mic wasn’t only for youngsters on Saturday. Some viewers members shared their very own experiments with rap and spoken-word poetry. One other performed a unbelievable cowl of SZA’s “Good Days” on the saxophone, capturing the temper of the day completely for a lot of in attendance.
Nonetheless, the Second Saturday occasion was a program focusing on youth, inviting them to create artwork and never merely view it.
“To Join youngsters”
Christine Gibson, Supervisor of Youth and Household Packages, defined the significance of answering the query of “learn how to join youngsters and up to date artwork in a enjoyable and funky method that will get them actually excited to simply be right here and interact.”
For thus many museums and galleries, it is a tough query. Artwork at present is concurrently extra accessible than it has ever been, and fewer accessible to extra individuals than ever.
Oklahoma Modern, nevertheless, has sought to cut back this hole, with applications like Camp Modern and Second Saturdays, and assist youngsters “to consider how art work’s not at all times an image in a gold body in a museum – it’s the whole lot round us on a regular basis.”
To that finish, THE STARS PULLED DOWN FOR REAL is a strong reminder of the pliability and omnipresence of artwork within the lived expertise of not simply adults, however kids as nicely. Will probably be missed, however its departure marks the maturity of the Oklahoma Modern as a 12 months below COVID-19 and practically a 12 months since opening passes by.
Montgomery’s poetic set up will likely be succeeded by an set up by Chakaia Booker, whose piece will set a brand new tone for the general public artwork of the museum.
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