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Jeremiah Ariaz’s Louisiana Trail Riders Released August 2018

Publications, Art, Photography, Faculty, Publicity, ,
Louisiana Trail Riders (UL Press)

Louisiana Trail Riders (UL Press)

The monograph Louisiana Trail Riders, by LSU School of Art associate professor of photography Jeremiah Ariaz, was released by UL Press August 28, 2018.

“I’d like to thank James Wilson, Assistant Director at UL Press, who championed the project and granted me the freedom to create precisely the book I envisioned,” Ariaz said. “Thanks Alexandra Giancarlo & Courtney Reid-Eaton for offering thoughtful and researched text to accompany the work, Henry Jackson who first encouraged me to join with and photograph the riding clubs, and all the riders who graciously invited me along.

The book premiered at the annual Billy Reid Shindig 10 in Florence, AL. Shindig began ten years ago to celebrate food, fashion, music, and art. “I’m honored to be included and excited to celebrate the book’s release,” Ariaz said.

The Louisiana Trail Riders monograph features photographs from Ariaz’s research project Louisiana Trail Riders. The series depicts African American trail-riding clubs in Louisiana, asserting a counter-narrative to historic representations of the cowboy and prevailing contemporary images of difference and despair in Black America.

“In 2014 while riding my motorcycle in rural Louisiana, I encountered a large group of people riding horseback. They commanded the road, and I pulled over for them to pass. I retrieved my camera from the saddlebag of my bike and took a few photographs as they rode by. A gentleman near the end of the procession waved, encouraging me to join. So began my ride as witness to the trail-riding clubs,” Ariaz said.

Louisiana Trail Riders is available from UL Press, as well as select bookstores and Amazon.

About the Author:

Jeremiah Ariaz, creates works that explore both the geography and ideology of the American West. He received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and MFA from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Ariaz has exhibited and been invited to speak about his photography internationally. Projects include Staging the West, Tucumcari, Reconsidering Landscape, Shadow Root: Retracing the Santa Fe Trail, Fact and Fiction: Imaging the West, and Louisiana Trail Riders. Louisiana Trail Riders is the first project set in his adopted Southern home of Louisiana where he is an Associate Professor of Art at Louisiana State University.

New Landscape Architecture Professor Kevin Benham Creates Land Art in Sweden

Art & Design, Research, Landscape Architecture, Faculty, ,
Broken Kilometer land art piece, Sweden

Broken Kilometer land art piece, Sweden

Kevin Benham, assistant professor at the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture, was a resident of ARNA (Art and Nature residency) in Sweden in 2017-18. Benham’s interest in biology was the starting point of a collaborative project between Benham, ARNA, and environmental restoration project Sandlife. His land art project, titled Broken Kilometer, acts simultaneously as a piece of art and a catalyst for increased biodiversity.

“This land work, a kilometer long cut in the earth that is broken into ten sections, celebrates the tradition of land art while simultaneously fostering increased biodiversity and a greater relationship between these disparate entities,” Benham said.

His research work focuses on landscape phenomena and the temporal qualities inherent in the discipline. To that end, Benham produces temporal and ephemeral installations that elucidate phenomena requiring careful observation through space and time.

The Broken Kilometer site, located on the Swedish army’s training field Revingehed, in Skåne, Sweden, is rich in agricultural history and has particular factors that influence the environment in current day. Interestingly, the Swedish military regiment’s activities increased biodiversity in the local ecosystem, Benham shared.

“In the past, the Swedish Army would periodically practice maneuvers with tanks over the fragile layer of soil and lay waste to the land. This ecological disturbance actually contributed to the biological diversity of Revingehed, and as a consequence, the area has one the richest biodiversity in Sweden,” he explained.

Benham investigated the unique site. “The freshly exposed sand banks foster the growth of rare plant species as well as a corresponding influx of rare insects at the margins of the disturbances. The seemingly incompatible operations of the military and agricultural production have actually created an ecosystem that teams with biodiversity.”

In the past few years, the military operations at Revingehed have decreased and there have been fewer ecological disturbances. In response, Benham worked collaboratively with ARNA and Sandlife, a project to restore habitats for endangered sand-living animals and plants, to create the land art piece Broken Kilometer.

This earthwork, which is the width of a Swedish tank and a total of a kilometer in length, is intended as a temporal art piece, and will continue to dissipate over time as the exposed soil becomes occupied with fresh herbaceous material. “Over time, the piece will disappear and will only exist as a trace of the original act of manipulating the land.”

Benham has exhibited his conceptual work throughout the world, including exhibits at the Royal Institute of British Architects, London, England; CUBE Gallery, Manchester England; Zurich, Switzerland; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Scottsdale, Arizona. He is the recent recipient of a Windgate Foundation Fellowship at Haystack on Deer Isle Maine and an Edward Albee Foundation Fellowship in Montauk, New York.

He holds the Jon Emerson/Wayne Womack Design Professorship at the LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture. He received his MLA from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University and his MArch at the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, The University of Michigan. He has taught interdisciplinary studios at academic institutions including the University of Michigan, Wentworth Institute of Technology, the Boston Architectural College, and LSU.

Naomi Clement (MFA 2017) on Ceramics Monthly

Art & Design, Honors & Awards, Art, Ceramics, Alumni, Alumni Profiles, Publicity, , ,
Ceramics Monthly cover

Ceramics Monthly cover

MFA 2017 Naomi Clement’s work is featured on the cover of Ceramics Monthly magazine’s September 2018 issue. She won the Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artist Award in 2017, and recently debuted a solo exhibition in California.

Naomi’s work was accepted to the annual “Drink Up!” ceramics contest, so she knew she would be included in the magazine’s September issue. Then she was contacted by Ceramics Monthly’s editor Jessica Knapp, and Naomi was thrilled to learn her work had been chosen for the magazine cover.

“I’ve been reading the magazine since I first got into ceramics almost 25 years ago. In my wildest dreams I’d hoped to be featured on the cover in some far off future, but I thought that would be years from now,” she shared. “It is such an honor to have my work featured on the cover and knowing that thousands of people will get to see it.”

Her solo exhibition Bound was on display at Sonoma Ceramics’ Gallery 212 in Sonoma, California in June 2018. She created the series during her six-month artist’s residency in at Sonoma Ceramics center.

Bound exhibition

From Bound exhibition

“The show was a culmination of my time there, which was incredible,” Naomi said. “They only bring in two artists in residence a year, and you get a studio, an apartment, and a stipend — all in beautiful Sonoma Valley. Pretty awesome!”

The show itself was in many ways an extension of her MFA thesis show at LSU titled Trace, she explained. Bound features pots that represent nostalgia for her family, and hope for the future.

Naomi Clement in studio

Naomi Clement in studio

“My work is a constant discussion on how things fit together and how they do not,” she said. “In particular, I am interested in points of transition: the space where orange becomes red, the place where glaze meets bare clay, the edge of a handle and the end of the pot.”

“In my process, I continually seek out and create opportunities for these moments to occur: leaving a seam visible in a hand-built cup, cutting a soft line in the rim of a bowl, or negotiating the space between white slip and bare clay. As a maker, I am interested in how these moments record my decisions and become physical signposts left for a future user. These traces of intent and action say: I was here, please bear witness to that fact.”

Originally from Canada, she got her BFA from Nova Scotia College of Art & Design in Halifax in 2003. She worked as a Sales Associate at Barrel Select Wine Merchants and then as a marketing coordinator at a travel company in Toronto before she came to LSU as a graduate student. Ceramics always called to her.

“I make pots because I truly believe that life is different when you choose to surround yourself with objects that already have a story when they reach you,” she stated. “There is a different tenor to your day when you encourage the objects you use to become part of the fabric of your life, rather than mere accessories. I make pots to add my voice to this story—creating useful objects that will hopefully bring joy to people’s daily lives, and go on to forge connections and stories of their own.”

Ceramics by Naomi Clement

Life after LSU has been busy so far, she said. She spent last fall teaching at a college in Pennsylvania as a sabbatical replacement, before coming to Sonoma, California for the artist residency. (She previously did residencies at Arrowmont School of Crafts in Tennessee, Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Maine, and Medalta International Artist in Residence Program in Alberta, Canada.) Naomi recently moved back home to Canada and is working on setting up a studio there.

“My goal is always that my pots will introduce a little beauty into the world, and ideally create a space where the user can pause to savor a moment of calm in the midst of a busy day.”

Elaine Yau Lecture

Art,

The School of Art lecture “Sister Gertrude Morgan’s Visual Vocality: Tradition, Innovation, and the Hearing the Artist-Outlier” was presented by Elaine Y. Yau (Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow, Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive) August 23, 2018.

During the 1970s, the New Orleans-based evangelical missionary Sister Gertrude Morgan (1900-1980) produced drawings and paintings that many have recognized as “tools of her ministry.” While the content of her visual art had clear links to African American Holiness-Pentecostal preaching traditions, the media of drawing and painting had few precedents within her New Orleans’ church. This talk argues that Morgan’s visual art was innovative as well as traditional, emerging at the convergence of her divine calling with the cultural marketplace of the street and music festival. It further ruminates on the recent re-framing of “self-taught” and “outsider” artists as “outliers” and the degree to which this new paradigm opens can forge more inclusive kinds of art history.

LSU Art & Design Visits Hunan University in Changsha, China

Art & Design, Academic Programs Abroad, Interior Design, Architecture, Faculty, Doctor of Design, , , ,

This year, College of Art & Design faculty members visited Hunan University in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, to conduct workshops and hold lectures for Chinese students and faculty, and promote collaborations across the globe.

Architects Unite

In June 2018, Michael Desmond, Frank Lloyd Wright scholar, professor of architecture and Art & Design Director of Graduate Studies, gave lectures on the work of the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright at the Hunan University School of Architecture. A workshop on the work of Wright was conducted in participation with several faculty members of the Hunan University School of Architecture, with fifty architecture students in attendance.

Professor Desmond speaks to Hunan University students

“Together the lectures and the workshop introduced the Hunan students to aspects of American culture and its architecture, and to their differences from classic European modernism,” Desmond said. “The experience provided opportunities for further development of English language skills and technical knowledge specific to the practice of architecture.”

The workshop involved the study of ten of the buildings designed by Wright over his 70-year career, resulting in interpretive architectural models and descriptive presentation boards. The Wright buildings studied were residential structures selected from the span of Wright’s career to give the students a sense of the range of his invention and growth, and provide an overview of Wright’s design ideas and building innovations. The Avery Architectural Archives at Columbia University in New York provided PDF files from its Frank Lloyd Wright collection of the original drawings of these buildings made by Wright and his apprentices for study, Desmond said.

“The workshop process required the students to read, digest and interpret Wright’s drawings as they determined how best to represent the most salient aspects of each structure,” Desmond said. “This exercise provided insight into architectural drawing conventions, construction practices as well as into the possibilities of further archival study.”

Students explored themes such as the relationships to Western traditions and Eastern cultures, the use of new materials and building techniques, the impact of the automobile on American culture, the architect’s response to the emerging industrial city and to modern social forms of family and work, and the relationships of building forms and social patterns to the broader American landscape.

The collaboration with the Hunan University School of Architecture is a great opportunity to bring together architects, and future architects, from China and the United States.

Patterns of Biophilic Design

Professor and School of Interior Design Director Marsha Cuddeback gave a workshop on biophilic design in June 2018, and was appointed a guest professor at the Hunan Normal University Fine Arts Academy.

Biophilic design follows principles that integrate nature and natural features into the design process to create environments that enhance human health and well-bring. Research suggests that using natural forms to reinforce connection to the natural world helps to promote wellness.

“The Patterns of Biophilic Design Workshop explored how the benefits from our innate connection to the natural environment provide opportunities for creating environments to support human health and wellness, serve to reconnect us with the natural environment, and heal the damage to our natural environment resulting from anthropocentrism. Workshop participants explored the patterns of piophilic
design and created a biophilic design model,” Cuddeback said.

The challenge was to design and create a space or place informed by one of the 14 patterns of biophilic design to convey how the human experience is enhanced by integrating and applying patterns of biophilic design to design solutions. The workshop focused on incorporating biophilic design principles into the interior design process, engaging with design students from multiple disciplines.

“By attending Marsha’s workshop, I learned a lot about biophilic design and how important it is to the creative process,” BID candidate Brandi Reed said. “Her workshop also gave me the opportunity to connect with many of the local students.”

Light, Form, and 3D Light Experience

In December 2017, Jun Zou, associate professor of interior design, hosted the workshop “Light, Form, and 3D Light Experience” at Hunan University. The objectives of the workshop were to study how light as a medium, how light and color can be manipulated to create effects; how different types of light sources may create different light effects and change perceptions of space; to study form using basic geometric forms; and to explore light, color, and materials to create shadows, shapes, density, and brightness.

Students were tasked with the assignment to fabricate boxes or similar geometric shapes and to create a color/light experience in the 3D space to create unique space perception. “Students looked at individual design elements, such as form, composition, color, light, line, texture, scale, proportion, balance, contrast, and rhythm,” said Zou.

Zou studied lighting design at Tillotson Design Associates in New York City, and brings her experience in contemporary lighting design to Hunan University, which does not yet have a significant interior design curriculum. Zou said she looks forward to partnering with the faculty there in the future.

The LSU College of Art & Design is pleased to grow an academic partnership with esteemed Chinese institutions of higher learning. Learn more about the LSU in China program.

Design Across the Globe: LSU in China

Art & Design, Academic Programs Abroad, Students, Interior Design, , ,

In May-June 2018, the LSU in China Program, directed by associate professor of interior design Jun Zou, brought interior design students to China to study art and design and engage with Chinese culture firsthand. The trip included field trips and cultural events, and group excursions to Xi’an, Hunan, and Beijing, which offered opportunities to see infamous sites of Chinese architecture and art.

“Before traveling to China, I had many preconceived ideas about what the trip, culture and traditions of China would be like and wondered if I would be comfortable in an environment that was different from the United States. Some of these ideas were accurate, but some were wrong,” BID candidate Ilana Springer said. “My overall experience in China was amazing.”

Classes offered included ID 3759 Special Studies in Interior Design, ID 4758 Advanced Studies in Interior Design, ARTH 2411 Survey of Asian Art, ART 1001 Introduction to Fine Arts, and ART 4020 Special Topics in Studio.

The interior design courses are organized to develop a global approach to design challenges, professor Zou said. “LSU in China allows students to develop a global perspective and approach to thinking and problem-solving,” she said. “Through site visits, they learned about cultural differences, with an emphasis on the typical regions of China. They had the opportunity to work and mingle with local students to gain experience in art, architecture, interior design, and designing with an awareness of the planet and different cultural/social groups.”

“Going on the trip gave me the opportunity to understand the cultural history and architecture related to Chinese tradition,” BID candidate Brandi Reed said.

The art and art history courses offered are intended to introduce Chinese traditional arts and culture, addressing contemporary and historical influences on architecture and interior design. Site visits helps student to understand cultural, social, and economic differences, so students can reflect on art and design issues.

Practicing traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy.

“One of my favorite experiences was exploring traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy,” Brandi shared. “I’ve always enjoyed painting and had an obsession with traditional Chinese art, so being able to take a painting and calligraphy class was a dream come true. I now better understand the significance of craft and technique from working with masters of Chinese art. It takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication to become the best in any element of design.”

Practicing Chinese calligraphy.

All of the planned excursions were chosen to develop students’ understanding of Chinese culture through an economic, historical, social, and aesthetic perspective. They visited cultural centers, history museums, aboriginal villages, and attend performing arts festivals and live performing arts events.

A most meaningful experience was teaming up with Chinese architecture students at Hunan University, the LSU students agreed. Working on design projects together was eye-opening, and they also learned about Chinese culture – and food!— outside of the classroom.

“The time we spent with the students from China was one of the most rewarding experiences,” Ilana stated. “I never thought I would have the opportunity to collaborate with interior design students from another country, especially a non-English-speaking country, and create amazing collaborative projects. I especially enjoyed spending my free time with the Chinese students. They showed us local restaurants and really helped encourage us to try the local delicacies. I cannot thank everyone enough for giving me this opportunity to fully experience China and Chinese culture.”

Brandi enjoyed attending a workshop about biophilic at Hunan University by Marsha Cuddeback, Director of the LSU School of Inteior Design, that brought together Chinese and American students of design. “The workshop gave me the opportunity to connect with many of the local students,” she said. “My partner, Tracy, however, taught me the most by sharing his design process and giving me the chance to compare and combine my ideas with his. Connecting with him also showed me how similar all people are despite the fact that we live worlds apart.”

The students agreed that their favorite parts of the academic program abroad experience were the field trips to different sites of significance across China, which they described as “once-in-a-lifetime” experiences.

“The field trip that made the biggest impact on me was when we visited the Yuelu Academy in Changsha,” Ilana shared, referring to the prestigious Chinese academy where many famous scholars, including Chairman Mao Zedong, studied. She was fascinated by the elegant architectural style of the site, and the influence of the natural environment on the design.

“After taking Marsha’s biophilic design workshop and visiting the Yuelu Academy, it is clear to me that nature plays such a large role in learning and productivity,” Ilana said. “With the mountain and river close to the campus, students are constantly inspired by their surroundings.”

“My favorite field trip was seeing the terra-cotta warriors. It amazes me that the soldiers were built to ‘protect’ the tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi and that they’re so old and still standing,” Brandi said. There’s nothing in the world that is similar to those structures – that’s why it’s so historically important. I learned that intricate details are important, if not more important, than the overall design, and that meaningful art is always unique, no matter how large-scale the project may be.”

They also had the opportunity to hike to the peak of Mount Hua in Xi’an, China. “I began thinking about nature and how I can use the shapes of the mountains and the curves of the peaks as an inspiration for my senior capstone project,” Ilana said.

“The trip was overwhelmingly influential and inspirational,” Brandi agreed.

“I cannot thank everyone enough for giving me this opportunity to go to China,” Ilana said. “I am not sure anything else I will do in my life will compare with this amazing experience.”

Find more information on the LSU in China academic programs abroad.