Slumgullion. Noun. A stew, soup or hash, typically contrived from a mish-mash of leftovers.

Seasoned with quirks and topped off with whimsy, this “slumgullionate” sculpture blends tokens of nostalgic rural Americana from across the decades into a kaleidoscope of pure sensory delight.

The bona-fide 19th-century log cabin, salvaged from its many potential courses of fate at the hands of time, has become a destination. Nestled on the outer grounds of the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the entire structure glows like a beacon, luring in from afar. Upon approach, the details at first inundate, then begin revealing themselves one at a time: a prismatic roof made of translucent working-class shirts; multicolored daubing between the logs glowing from within; real stained glass windows incorporating vintage glass tableware; a grand fireplace constructed entirely of stacked books and glass; dozens of colorful lanterns composed of bottles and referential glassware. Incorporating many pieces contributed by Tulsans for the project, this tranquil walk-through sculpture not only whispers of a broader history but is in many ways also a very intimate local homage.

Beckoning to the reverent, yet gleefully lacking the pomposity to itself ever be fully venerable, SLUMGULLION (The Venerate Outpost) is a work that resists definition — and deliberately engenders its very own sense of self. As it jostles differing views of necessity in the face of contemporary excess, the bewitching little sanctuary reminds its visitors to take a deep breath, tune out some of life’s never-ending noise, and simply… bring things down a notch.