New Greenwood Gallery Exhibit Aims To Provide New Perspective On 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

There's a new exhibit at the Greenwood Gallery this month.

It offers people a chance to help make sure Tulsa is not defined by the tragedy and destruction of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

"There is a dark cloud that can loom over this city, but I believe that there is a new horizon," said Marlon Hall.

Marlon Hall is the artist of the art experience.

He said Tulsans are still haunted by the Tulsa Race Massacre that destroyed the homes and businesses of Black Tulsans.

So, he created a space where people can transform themselves into gardeners of hope rather than grave keepers of the city's past.

"We consider this city at best to be a place we can manicure, and cut the grass of the gravesite that the city is, but what if this city isn't a gravesite? Like, what if it's a garden?" said Hall.

The three-part exhibit puts visitors in an immersive healing experience.

Hall said the healing of Tulsa can't come without looking in the mirror and finding personal healing first.

"City healing, right, on a collective level begins with individual healing. So, we move from a 40-thousand-foot view of the healing process to a four-inch view between you and yourself," said Hall.

Each part of the exhibit represents a moment in a person's own story where they can travel to change pain into possibility, just like a garden.

"Gardens have decomposed life and elements of loss in them as well, but they move towards this beautiful towards life, death, and renewal," said Hall.

Hall says he hopes to see people reshape the story of Tulsa.

"A place where the ancestors are living and moving and breathing about us conjuring the good out of us and inviting us to carry the seeds of Black Wall Street forward," said Hall.

The exhibit will be at the Greenwood Gallery throughout November.