Robust programming schedule complements summer Blockbuster, True Nature
OKLAHOMA CITY (July 3, 2023) – The Oklahoma City Museum of Art (OKCMOA) today announced an exciting lineup of French-inspired events in honor of Bastille Day (France’s National holiday) and OKCMOA’s summer blockbuster exhibition, True Nature: Rodin and the Age of Impressionism; an exhibition which transports visitors back in time to explore 19-century French art and celebrates one of the most famous sculptors of the past 200 years.
“Whether you prefer Rodin’s monumental sculptures, Impressionist paintings by Monet and Degas, contemporary and classic films, or French food and wine, we will have something for every Francophile to enjoy in July,” said Museum CEO & President Michael Anderson, PhD. “We look forward to welcoming our local and out-of-town visitors to explore True Nature and all the aspects of the Museum, including the fun programming we have scheduled over the next several weeks.”
True Nature celebrates legendary French sculptor Auguste Rodin and was organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The exhibition showcases over 100 works by Rodin, his French Impressionist friends, including Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Edgar Degas, and other leading French artists. Don’t miss the chance to visit our once-in-a-lifetime exhibition or the opportunity to pair it with one of the events thoughtfully organized by the Museum team.
Below is a schedule of OKCMOA’s True Nature-related programming.
This year’s festival of new and classic French cinema features beautifully acted dramas, compelling comedies, a hypnotic supernatural thriller, an enchanting romantic fable, and a series of newly restored masterpieces by François Truffaut, one of the founding figures of the French New Wave. Films are shown every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening, and Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
As always, OKCMOA Film Society Members (including Fellow, Friend, and Sustainer members) receive $5 tickets to Museum Films screenings. Click here to learn more about joining the Film Society.
Be sure to also visit OKCMOA’s Museum Store x Ganache during regular Museum hours for a variety of beverages to enjoy during film screenings.
Every Friday in July | 12 p.m.
Want to learn more about artist Auguste Rodin? Join OKCMOA for a Spotlight Gallery Talk exploring a major sculpture by French artist Auguste Rodin on view in True Nature. Each talk, lasting approximately 20 minutes, will be led by a staff member on the Museum’s curatorial team.
The talk is free with Museum admission and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Please arrive 15 minutes early in order to secure your place at the Admissions Desk.
Every Thursday night from 5-9 p.m., buy a True Nature admissions ticket for a discounted price of $15+tax and explore three floors of OKCMOA exhibitions, stroll through the Museum Store for True Nature-inspired merchandise, stop by the Museum Bar for a light bite or beverage, and participate in special programming.
- Thursday, July 6 | Music by Grant Wells
- Thursday, July 13 | Bastille Day | Join the Museum as we celebrate France’s National Holiday with live entertainment by Aaron Newman, food from Grill on the Hill, a French-inspired Cocktail called Let Them Eat Cake, and much more in the Museum Store and Bar.
- Thursday, July 20 | Music by Claire Piersol Duo
- Thursday, July 27 | Food by Bar Arbolada with live entertainment by Shaun Suttle
Saturday, July 15 | 12 p.m.
Registration is $25 for members and $35 for non-members.
Join Curatorial Assistant Kristen Pignuolo for an in-depth tour, exploring major themes and highlights from the exhibition, True Nature: Rodin and the Age of Impressionism. Get a closer look at artist Auguste Rodin’s extraordinary career, discover more about his reputation as one of the greatest sculptors since the Renaissance, and learn about his companions Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Degas, and Cézanne.
Saturday, July 15 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Monoprint inspired by Paul Reed Works on Paper
Free with admission and for members.
Beat the heat and join us for a come-and-go, art-making activity that is suitable for all ages. Drop-In Art provides a perfect opportunity for visitors to connect with the galleries and tap into their creativity. Drop-In Art is available on the third Saturday of every month and features a new activity for each session.
Thursday, July 20 | 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 27 | 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Registration is $28 for members and $36 for non-members. | Space is limited.
In conjunction with the exhibition True Nature: Rodin and the Age of Impressionism, this class will explore how to look at the sculptures of Auguste Rodin and the work of his French Impressionist contemporaries like Monet and Degas. We will discuss why Rodin and his peers were considered groundbreaking radicals in the nineteenth-century art world and how their work paved the way for modern art of the twentieth century. In addition to the art historical context, this practical class will also offer participants the tools to analyze and decipher these works of art.
This four-hour class will convene over two sessions.
Skirvin Hilton Hotel
Saturday, July 22 | 6-8 p.m.
Reception and Artist’s Talk | 6 p.m.
Dinner | 7 p.m.
Take a journey of art and food in celebration of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s summer exhibition, True Nature: Rodin and the Age of Impressionism. The evening begins with a reception and artist’s talk by LaQuincey Reed, Paseo Arts Association, and Skirvin Hilton Hotel’s Artist-in-Residence, and concludes with a five-course meal.
LaQuincey Reed’s artistic practice involves the same technique used by Auguste Rodin, the lost-wax cast method. Attendees will get an insider’s perspective into the artistic process, including sculpting in clay, mold-making, and a better understanding of how bronze sculptures of all sizes are made. Attendees will see many of Reed’s finished bronzes and recent commissions as works in progress.
Join this artistic evening for $125 per person. (Includes one glass of wine with dinner. Cash bar available for additional beverages during reception and dinner).
Friday, July 28 | 6 p.m.
$85 | Limited to 20 registrants.
Join OKCMOA President and CEO Michael Anderson, PhD, for an exclusive after-hours tour of True Nature. Following the tour, attendees will sample new “Wines with a Cause” in the Museum Store.
Saturday, July 29 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
$10 for in-person; free for virtual
This professional development opportunity will connect educators to OKCMOA as a classroom resource with a special emphasis on True Nature.
Sunday, July 30 | 1:30-4:00 p.m.
$30 for members and $35 for non-members with access to the galleries.
Registration is required. | Space is limited.
Join the OKCMOA team and paint a French Impressionist painting on the Store patio while sipping on French wine, a mimosa, or our French-inspired cocktail called “Let Them Eat Cake”. All art supplies, your first drink, a charcuterie cup by Ganache Patisserie, plus access to the galleries are included in the registration fee. Food and a variety of other beverages, including $3 mimosas or $5 wines, will be available for purchase.
OKCMOA will host group in-person and virtual field trips throughout the summer and into the fall. Additionally, a number of docent-led ask-me sessions will be held during the length of the exhibition. No reservation is required, and the program is included with admission. For a full list of dates and times, please visit okcmoa.com/events.
