Wani Marshall Coker’s display pieces feature her signature color blocking.
DURANT, OK – The art gallery at Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant has been updated to highlight a variety of diverse contemporary art from Choctaw artists, challenging outdated notions of what Native American artwork is. The art gallery’s update comes ahead of Native November, offering guests the perfect opportunity to experience unique forms of Choctaw art at no cost.
“Within this exhibition, we hope to promote a diverse public understanding of Choctaw art and showcase that our artists are multifaceted,” said Claire Young, Public Arts Manager for Choctaw Nation. “Whether Choctaw artists are creating traditional Native American art or other art forms, such as wood marquetry and ledger art, they are still Choctaw artists who are inherently creating Choctaw art.”
The new exhibit, “Diverse Contemporary Choctaw Art,” features contemporary art, Western paintings, wood marquetry, pottery, baskets and color blocking from Choctaw artists Jeremy Dylan Cavin, Gregg Standridge, Wani Marshall Coker, Rhiana Deck, Edmon Perkins and Eveline Steele.
Gregg Standridge provided pieces of wood inlay marquetry based on hand-drawn designs.
Cavin, a Chickashaw, OK, native contributed Western paintings to the exhibit. The contemporary and abstract art in the exhibit is courtesy of Deck, who is known for her large-scale murals, and Standridge provided pieces of wood inlay marquetry based on hand-drawn designs. Coker, a Durant, OK, native has pieces on display featuring her signature color blocking.
The exhibit also features traditional Choctaw art forms with Choctaw pottery made by Perkins, who uses native clay and wood pit firing to create his pieces. Steele, a third-generation basket weaver, contributed a Choctaw rivercane basket to the gallery.
The exhibit is located inside the Sky Tower and will remain up until March 2025.
