OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A new art exhibition at Myriad Gardens features work in a variety of disciplines from Black artists in Oklahoma and beyond. Still Here: The Cosmology of Black Resilience shares the message of what it means to be Black and resilient.

“No matter what we’ve gone through, we’re still here, we’re still strong and we are resilient,” said Ebony Iman Dallas, artist and co-curator of Still Here: The Cosmology of Black Resilience. “So it’s asking in what ways have we endured some sort of trauma or whatever it is that you’ve gone through and have had to work through. So the show is all about that.”

Marie Casimir, also co-curator of the exhibition, will be performing a dance she choreographed along with partner J’aime Griffith that will be filmed inside the lush Crystal Bridge Conservatory. The moments within the dance will portray a unique concept…

“The idea of floating through space and you’re catching memories and some of those memories belong to you, some of those memories belong to your ancestors and some of those memories are not actual memories at all but they’re in the future,” said Casimir. “So bodies moving through time and space catching memories and then as you move it stays with you, and little bits and pieces of that create who you are.”

Performance artist, Changing FrEQuencies, along with her family, performed a dance that was filmed inside the gallery space at Myriad Gardens.

“I thought bringing in my family would show what has created resilience for me, personally and what I think contributes to the cosmology of Black resilience is the Black family.”

The recording of the dance will be available for viewing inside the gallery throughout the exhibition’s stay.

“Our goal is to bring something that will help highlight what is already here, because I think it’s a beautiful exhibit and we’re really excited for folks to be able to see something like that in this kind of a space,” said CJ Perry, dancer and husband of Changing FrEQuencies.

Still Here: The Cosmology of Black Resilience will be at Myriad Gardens through March 2.

The exhibition will have both a virtual opening and limited in person opening on January 22. The ticketed physical opening will allow six people per time 30 minute time slot to view the exhibition. Masks will be required. The opening will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

The exhibition will also include Storytelling in the Gardens, featuring poetry and readings by some of the artists on February 13th at 1 p.m. at the outdoor stage.

The screening of Marie Casimir and J’aime Griffith’s dance “We Remember, We Restore” will premiere February 19 at 6:30 p.m.

For more information about the exhibition, click here.