I often attempt to connect art to an event, place, subject, etc. that we universally experience when creating my OJAC blogs. For this blog iteration, I considered writing about the OJAC’s current exhibit Borrowed Trouble featuring the work of artist Linda Blackburn whose paintings incorporate appropriated imagery from Western movie stills. (When you come see the exhibit, pick up a gallery guide and find out why!) As one idea led to another, I thought, “how about talking about the Western genre in film/television as well.” When asked to provide an image for the blog, I came across one that depicts the filming of The Searchers, wonderfully directed by John Ford in 1956. If you have not seen this movie, you must, if you want to be considered a movie fan or even a true Texan in my opinion.
As I went deeper down the rabbit hole of discovery, I realized that The Searchers storyline is connected to another exhibit currently on view this summer—Michael O’Brien’s Prairieland Portraits. I considered writing the blog telling readers the connections. But I’ve elected to provide the answer in my next blog. Until then, the first person (non-staff) who can provide the connections between one of Linda Blackburn’s paintings, The Searchers, and the subject of one of Michael O’Brien’s photographs, will win a copy of Michael O’Brien’s fantastic book The Face of Texas from the OJAC gift shop. This is a “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game. If you’re not sure what this is, look it up.
This is going to take some thinking. Drop off your guess, or let me know in person—I’ll be waiting!
Patrick Kelly, Director & Curator of Exhibitions
