Down in the Dumps
march 13 - april 5
Lillian Plumlee viewing the exhibition during 2nd Friday Norman Art Walk
Some exhibitions ask you to look. This one asks you to look closer, and then sit with what comes up. Down in the Dumps is the first solo exhibition from Norman-based conceptual self-portrait photographer Alex Eischeid.
The exhibition is a deeply personal exploration of self-acceptance and self-love, drawn entirely from lived experience. Through conceptual self-portraiture, Alex confronts a contradiction many women know well: being told to embrace what makes you different while being quietly punished when those differences fall outside of what is considered acceptable. Her own body and image become both the subject and the symbol, a vehicle for examining the expectations placed on women and the shame that so often follows when those expectations go unmet.
The photographs are intentionally uncomfortable. Tension, distortion, and vulnerability are built into the work by design, using discomfort not as an end point but as a prompt. Viewers are invited to examine their own reactions and sit with where those responses actually come from. Rather than offering resolution or an airbrushed sense of closure, the work moves toward honesty, toward the messy, imperfect, ongoing process of learning to accept yourself.
OPENING RECEPTION
Guests admiring the gallery walls on opening night
We opened Down in the Dumps during Norman's Second Friday Art Walk, welcoming the community into an exhibition that wasted no time making its presence felt. The opening reception gave visitors their first opportunity to move through Eischeid's work in person and experience the quiet intensity the photographs carry in the room.
ONLINE EXHIBITION WALKTHROUGH
As part of our ongoing effort to make our exhibitions more accessible to audiences beyond the gallery, we hosted live walkthroughs of Down in the Dumps on both YouTube and TikTok. The walkthroughs gave our online audience a chance to experience the exhibition in real time, move through the space alongside us, and hear the thinking behind the work. It is something we are building into how we share our shows, and this exhibition felt like exactly the right one to bring that process forward with
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Touch Some Grass by Alex Eischeid
Alex Eischeid is an award-winning conceptual self-portrait photographer based in Norman, Oklahoma. Her work draws from her experiences as a woman and a mother, using the self-portrait as both subject and symbol to explore identity, expectation, vulnerability, and resilience. Blending surreal elements with emotional realism, her images exist somewhere between the familiar and the imagined, creating narrative-driven scenes that invite genuine introspection. Beyond her photographic practice, Alex is an educator who teaches both online and in person, with a focus on conceptual photography, creative editing, lighting, and intentional storytelling.
About Uncanny Art House
We are an independent, artist-run gallery and creative space dedicated to fostering collaboration, supporting local artists, and promoting the visual arts. Located in the heart of Norman, Oklahoma, we are a hub for creativity, community, and innovation.
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Gallery Hours:
Friday: 12–9 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 12–6 PM
Exhibition Dates: March 13 - April 5, 2026
Location: Uncanny Art House, 106 E Main St, Norman, OK
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