Melton Gallery’s ‘Welcome Hope’ now open to UCO community

The Vista September 11, 2024 12:30 pm

B.G. Williams

Contributing Writer

The Melton Gallery opened its new exhibit “Welcome Hope” earlier this month with the aim of encouraging engagement from students and faculty while also shifting how UCO interacts with the space as a whole.

*Photos of the ‘Welcome Hope’ exhibit. (TROY ISBELL/THE VISTA)*

The Melton’s curator Keri Smith wanted to highlight positivity and connection as she rebranded the gallery with this semester’s new exhibit. Her goal was to shift the focus from identity and politically based exhibits. This way, visitors would feel encouraged to return as the weeks went by.

Her and Studio Technician Nathan Kent worked to create different spaces within the space of the exhibit. Hundreds of foots of string, colored lights, projectors, and hooks bought off Amazon help to bring the different sections to life. However, what is most crucial to its success is the engagement of UCO and the surrounding community.

Each part of the exhibit encourages different levels and types of engagement. There are places to draw on the walls, to leave notes for those in need of inspiration, to create paper leaves, to contribute to a mind map, and to add your own responses to a digital prompt. The goal of the exhibit is to create a safe space. Whether someone wants to spend five minutes in the gallery or a few hours, they will be able to contribute.

*A Garfield cartoon is strung up in the ‘Welcome Hope’ exhibit. (TROY ISBELL/THE VISTA)*

“Not only are you allowed to be in here, but you can interact in here. You can truly make your mark in here,” said Smith.

*Keri Smith gives a tour of the exhibit. (TROY ISBELL/THE VISTA)*

As the curator, Smith wants to increase the number of people who come and visit Melton Gallery. Typically, it has about 2,500-3,000 visitors per year. The gallery is not confined by a need to make a profit or to meet certain academic requirements. As they welcome this new exhibit, Smith hopes for Melton Gallery to be viewed as a creative resource and a place where students and faculty can relax, feel vulnerable, and gain inspiration and motivation for the tasks that wait for them when they leave.

The exhibit will be open until Nov. 7. It is free and open to the public.