McEachern Art Center (the MAC) will open its 2024-25 season with a gallery exhibition featuring artists who are citizens of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, running from Aug. 15-Sept. 21 to coincide with the Ocmulgee Indigenous Celebration and the Macon Film Festival. The show will have an opening celebration at 5 p.m. Aug. 15.
The exhibition is titled “From Ocmulgee to Okmulgee 2024,” referencing the connection between the Ocmulgee River that runs through Macon and the town of Okmulgee, Oklahoma.
The Ocmulgee River is part of the ancestral homelands occupied by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation for thousands of years, most notably at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. This area is particularly special for Maconites, as Congress is considering legislation that would designate it as Georgia’s first national park. Okmulgee, Oklahoma, is the capital of the Muscogee Nation government today, after the Muscogee people were forcibly removed from their lands in present-day Georgia and Alabama by the United States government.
Several different mediums will be represented in the show, which will feature three artists. Paintings from Johnnie Diacon, jewelry from Kenneth Johnson, and clothing and moccasins from Jamie Bennett will be on display alongside educational material about Muscogee culture and traditions.
This is the second year the MAC has featured this cultural exchange bringing Muscogee art to Macon. The MAC Director Johnny Cohen hopes it becomes an annual showing.
“Working with indigenous artists has been an incredible experience,” he said. “Their dedication, kindness and creativity shine through in every piece. It’s going to be an exciting and vibrant celebration of their identity and history.”
Additionally, this show will be the last opportunity to join the annual MAC Membership program, which allows community members to take advantage of special benefits and support the gallery’s future. Memberships for the 2024-25 season close on Aug. 16. An annual membership costs $60 and entitles a patron to become a MAC insider with special pieces of art, exclusive events and interaction with other artists. Patrons can purchase a MAC Membership at this link or in person at the gallery opening.
“From Ocmulgee to Okmulgee 2024” will have an opening reception 5-7 p.m. Aug. 15. There will be an artist talk with all three artists at 5 p.m. Sept. 13, just before Macon’s Ocmulgee Indigenous Celebration. The show is made possible with support from the Ocmulgee Mounds Association.
The MAC is located at 332 Second St. in Macon and is open to the public Thursday-Saturday from 4-8 p.m. Admission is always free and open to the public. Media and educators may access the gallery outside of normal hours by emailing cohen_j@mercer.edu. Find out more at macmacon.com
