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Philbrook Partners with Accidentally Wes Anderson for Photography Exhibition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TULSA, OK., August 17, 2021 — It all started on Instagram. Accidentally Wes Anderson began as a personal travel bucket list, a catalog of visually striking and historically unique destinations that capture the iconic visual style of filmmaker Wes Anderson.

Now, inspired by a community of more than 1.5 million Adventurers, Accidentally Wes Anderson (AWA) tells the stories behind some of the most beautiful, idiosyncratic, and interesting places on Earth.

THIS IS AN ADVENTURE: Accidentally Wes Anderson features distinctively dramatic photographs of locations around the world taken by the AWA community alongside similarly inspired photos of Tulsa and the surrounding area selected from submissions by the Philbrook community. This special spotlight exhibition runs September 17, 2021 through January 2, 2022. 

“We are thrilled to partner with Philbrook and have such a stunning location to share these photos,” said AWA Founder Wally Koval. “The exhibition does justice to the images and stories, proudly representing the global nature of the AWA Community.”

While on his own adventure in 2017, Koval created the now-famous Instagram account @accidentallywesanderson. He put out the call for imaginative photographs characterized by symmetrical compositions and peuliar color palettes. With submissions from this growing global AWA community, Koval published a book of the same name in 2020 featuring these photos accompanied by brief, fascinating stories.

“Koval’s work reminds us that behind every façade, there is a story,” says exhibition curator and Philbrook Chief Registrar, June Carpenter. “The selection of work in THIS IS AN ADVENTURE highlights goodwill—stories of people or places with a purpose of doing good for others.”

Composer Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo) who scored multiple Wes Anderson films, including Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Life Aquatic, provides a collection of unused and never-before-heard themes, rough sketches, and outtakes as the soundtrack to this exhibition. 

This exhibition was organized in collaboration with Accidentally Wes Anderson and invites all viewers to find inspiration to explore the world, but also to take a closer look just where you are. With an open mind and broadened perspective, adventure awaits us all.

About Philbrook Museum of Art

Philbrook Museum of Art is committed to being Tulsa’s most welcoming and engaging cultural institution, providing a unique trifecta of experiences: a historic home, world class art museum, 25 acres of gardens. 

Philbrook Museum of Art opened on October 25, 1939. The addition of a 70,000 square foot wing in 1990 turned the historic home into a modern museum complex. A major garden renovation in 2004 cemented the Museum’s reputation as “the most beautiful place in Oklahoma.” 

Through bold action and strategic investment, we create a space for new ideas, diverse stories and perspectives, and social connection. The Philbrook Collection features more than 16,000 objects with a focus on American, Native American, and European art. Serving over 160,000 visitors annually, Philbrook shines a light on Tulsa’s storied and complex past while building a diverse and creative vision of the city’s future.

FAST FACTS

Title: THIS IS AN ADVENTURE: Accidentally Wes Anderson

Dates: September 17, 2021 – January 2, 2022

Location: Philbrook (2727 S. Rockford Rd.)

Visit Philbrook.org

PRESS CONTACT

Jeff Martin,

Asst. Director of Communications and Audience Relations

JMartin@philbrook.org

918.748.5352 (o)

918.697.9042 (m)

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