Joe Bradley, Charline von Heyl, Sterling Ruby and Josh Smith in Clever, Quick, Magnetic

3 September 2026—11 January 2027
Group exhibition at Oklahoma Contemporary, Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Oklahoma Contemporary presents Clever, Quick, Magnetic: The Art of Witty Banter, an exhibition that explores how paintings can feel connected even when they appear visually distinct. The exhibition considers how artists balance deliberation with spontaneity, and how that tension gives each work its particular character. When viewed together, the paintings reveal a shared openness and curiosity, as well as a decisiveness that binds them from within.

A central question posed by the exhibition is whether a painting can possess something akin to a personality. Can a work of art seem alive in the way it guides the eye across its surface, or in how it sustains tension, energy, or calm? Approaching painting in this way offers insight into why certain works feel expressive or emotionally charged.

Joe Bradley, *Angel's Trumpet*, 2023-2024

The exhibition also examines the relationship between intention and style. Intention refers to what the artist seeks to convey or investigate. Style is the manner in which that intention materializes in the work. What ultimately resonates is not intention alone but the dynamic relationship between intention and the act of making.

Visitors are invited to consider the decisions that shape each composition, including its marks, images, forms, and structure. Though the paintings differ in subject and appearance, they may share underlying characteristics. By looking closely, audiences are encouraged to reflect on the artistic process, what informs creative choices, and how works that appear unrelated can reveal deeper connections.