In the vibrant and eclectic art scene of Ybor City lies a treasure trove of creativity and female empowerment called OXH Gallery. Owner and founder Odeta Xheka, an Albanian artist and resident artist of the Louise & Arnold Kotler Art Gallery in John F Germany Public Library, knows firsthand the challenges women artists face when displaying their work.
Since its opening in January 2024 in the Kress Contemporary, the arts hub in the historic Ybor City Kress Building, OXH Gallery has quickly emerged as a beacon for artists and art enthusiasts. With a lifetime immersed in art, Xheka has dedicated herself to empowering and uplifting female creatives. Her commitment to gender equality in the arts shines through in every exhibition and initiative she undertakes.
Having brought the glitz and vibrancy of her hometown New York to Tampa at OXH Gallery, Xheka curates exhibitions highlighting the talents of local, national and international women artists, often giving global artists their first exposure in the United States.
The gallery, online and in exhibitions, is home to both established and under-recognized emerging and mid-career women artists. Not only does Xheka provide the space, but she also provides art placement, management and advisory services.
She explains that, unlike most male artists who are fathers, women artists often face the expectation to prioritize motherhood over their art.
"I feel this is a very important moment in time to celebrate women for who they truly
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Courtesy Odeta XhekaOdeta Xheka of OXH Gallery are," she says. "By emphasizing they are women artists, I emphasize that it is much harder for them to not only have access to art institutions but to have time, physical and psychological, devoted to making art.
"I found what was missing in Tampa was the type of space I was used to in New York,” Xheka says. “I used my initials from the Albanian alphabet to put my name behind the gallery. Yes, I own the gallery and this is, in a way, my identity as well. This is what I can do as a person, but also as a woman and a mother."
She says that the gallery brings her full circle after putting her artist identity aside to raise a family.
Xheka discovers and nurtures new talent, working closely with artists to develop their craft and create opportunities to showcase their work. As an artist-owned and operated space, the gallery prioritizes community and professional growth over competition. Rather than signing artists to permanent rosters, OXH Gallery offers professional opportunities and connections. The gallery's robust curatorial program connects artists with museum acquisition teams, critics, collectors and the public. Special events, artist talks, innovative marketing, scholarly catalogs and group exhibitions foster open exchanges of ideas and support the development of nuanced artistic approaches.
“Red Gasps,” an exhibit that closed on November 14, featured US-based Japan-born textile artist Rima Day in conversation with Moscow-born, Berlin-dwelling performance artist Venera Kazarova, both coming from the background of costuming and fashion.
"I combined the digital elements of the future with the other artist's very detailed, handmade work,” Xheka says. “There are splashes of red color in both artists' work against a white gallery – white walls and white carpet on the floor, and then you have pops of red coming from the walls."
Running from November 21st to January 16th, 2025, the installation “Motherhood Mediated” showcases the work of a dozen women artists hailing from Denmark, India, Canada and the United States (Miami, Ohio, Chicago, Tampa, New York, New Orleans and Michigan) who make motherhood the center of their art.
The gallery website describes “Motherhood Mediated” as the “second in a series of group exhibitions giving voice to the complexity of maternity and motherhood, recognizant of the fact that neither mothers nor artists are archetypes and narratives of their struggles, while mirroring larger societal forces, remain bound to their particular realities."
Through OXH Gallery, Xheka addresses themes of women's identity, resilience and empowerment. Each piece is a powerful statement, inviting reflection and conversation. She is proud to blaze a trail, redefining what it means to be a woman artist in today's world and leaving an indelible mark on the global arts community.
"My hope is bringing these sorts of artists, bringing this sort of attention by extension, the gallery will be an easier way for local women artists to make connections," she says. "There are less opportunities for women, but we come with a vision to enhance what art generally is, by women specifically. Making women artists the core of it enhances both our gallery and the artists."
OXH Gallery is located in suite 237 of the Kress Contemporary,1624 Seventh Ave. in Ybor City. Learn more at www.oxhgallery.com. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, November 21st, OXH Gallery will join multiple art venues, creative businesses, and artists' studios in Ybor City for the unique, self-guided Ybor Arts Tour. Follow OXH Gallery at he_a_rt_project.