LSU Museum of Art
Shaw Center for the Arts
100 Lafayette Street, Fifth Floor
Baton Rouge, LA
A Bayou State of Mind showcases the rich tapestry of Louisiana’s culture, traditions, history, land, and spirit, as a diverse mix of artists respond to and envision the state’s unique character. From the deep-rooted perspectives of natives such as Malaika Favorite, John T. Scott, and Elmore Morgan Jr., to the evocative impressions of those captivated during brief encounters, like Nathalie Miebach and Richard Misrach, the objects relate intimate visual responses to a complex environment.
A highlight of the exhibition is the Bayou Collection, a series of forty paintings by renowned artist George Rodrigue. Originally created to accompany a compilation of ghost stories by author Chris Segura, Rodrigue’s imaginative renderings are steeped in his signature Cajun style. His labor of love, spanning three years, includes the first appearance of Rodrigue’s iconic “Blue Dog”—his cherished spaniel-terrier, Tiffany—marking a defining moment in the artist’s career.
Additional artists included in the exhibition: Vitus Shell, Ronald Bechet, Ben Depp, Shirley Rabé Masinter, James Michalopoulos, Rolland Harve Golden, Carrie Mae Weems, Johanna Warwick, Will Henry Stevens, Debbie Fleming Caffery, Hunt Slonem, and many more.