Rose State College Art Professor Suzanne Thomas gave a guest lecture at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art on Sept. 19, 2026. She was joined by Tahnee Francis, owner of Naija Wife Kitchen, a Nigerian restaurant in Oklahoma City.
Thomas and Francis explored Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s artwork, “I Refuse to Be Invisible,” which is on loan to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. The Art Bridges Foundation made the loan and accompanying lecture program possible.
During the program, Thomas and Francis discussed the blending of cultures represented in the artwork and examined the people depicted in the piece. They also invited audience members to participate in the conversation and share their perspectives.
Following the lecture, attendees gathered downstairs to sample Nigerian food prepared by Francis, bringing an additional cultural element to the evening’s discussion of art, identity, and community.
Visit RSC Liberal Arts Division to learn more.