O'Kane Gallery
Upcoming Exhibition
This Strange Place
October 15 - December 17, 2026
Opening reception will be October 15th from 4:00 – 6:30 PM at our permanent location in Girard Street Building.
This Strange Place, a solo exhibition by Kelli Scott Kelley, opens at the O'Kane Gallery on Thursday, October 15th. Kelley—a Louisiana native, born and raised in Baton Rouge—is a professor of art at Louisiana State University. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is represented in Houston by Andrew Durham Gallery. Kelley’s artwork takes the viewer through her mythical and subconscious worlds populated by figures, animals, objects, and hybrid beings. Repurposed fabrics, such as napkins, handkerchiefs and patchwork quilts, serve as canvases that hold stories and histories of women’s domesticity. Her work is inspired by humanity’s endemic connection to nature reimagined in the semblance of ancient mythologies. Her pieces are engaging and otherworldly, at times harmonious or adversarial, inviting the viewer to break boundaries of what nature means, visually and imaginatively.
The Guardian
Swamp Goddess 1
Supernova
The Harry W. O'Kane Gallery, established in 1970, was made possible by gifts from Harry W. O'Kane, Mary W. Bingman, and the Humphreys Foundation. The O’Kane Gallery presents five to six exhibitions that meet the diverse interests of students, faculty, and staff of the University of Houston-Downtown. Exhibitions in all media provide educational support to various university courses and to nearby schools. The gallery also functions as a site for university forums, meetings and receptions. Exhibitions are free and open to the public.
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