Dispatches from the Invisible World
O’Kane Gallery to Exhibit Work by Osage Artist Keli Mashburn
As another week of autumn comes and goes, so does the current exhibition of the artwork of Kaori Maeyama at the O’Kane Gallery. Thankfully, another compelling artist will take her place, as the gallery will display the work of Keli Mashburn from Oct. 26 through Dec. 14, with an opening reception and artist talk from 2:30 - 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26.
Mashburn (Osage, American) is a photographer and video artist. Born in 1977, she grew up on a ranch, developing an appreciation and deep respect for the rural, prairie-plains landscape of her home. She studied philosophy at the University of Tulsa and the University of Oklahoma before attending the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 
In an interview with the National Endowment for the Arts, she said that she wants to “dispel myths” about the Native American condition and hopes to rewrite prevailing narratives with “something beautiful and something positive.” Mashburn chooses to live and work within her Grayhorse community, remaining on the Osage Reservation in Fairfax, Oklahoma. Her singular visual style reflects an intimacy with the natural environment and an experiential knowledge of Osage epistemology. Her work creates space for mutual respect and consideration as opposed to confrontation, inviting viewers to discover/rediscover bonds and relationships in and to the natural environment. Dispatches from the Invisible World continues this exploration at the O’Kane Gallery in an exhibition of both photographs and film.
Mashburn’s experimental short films have screened nationally at the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles , California, and in New York City at the National Museum of the American Indian. She has presented her work internationally, on the occasions of the 2015 and 2017 Venice Biennales in Venice, Italy. More recently, her photography and film work were featured in the 2020 inaugural exhibition of OK Contemporary, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Visiting the Gallery
The O’Kane Gallery is located on the third floor of the Girard Street Building, GSB322.
In-text image “Study for Wathegthon” courtesy of artist.
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates approximately 14,000 students, boasts more than 66,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.
U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions: No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.
