Baton Rouge Gallery, 1515 Dalrymple Drive, is showing work by artist members James Burke, Sarah House, Brian Kelly and Liz Lessner through June 1.
An ARTiculate artists’ gallery talk will coincide with the show from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 7. Gallery hours are noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and admission is free.
James Burke’s exhibit, ‘February Morning. Other Places,’ runs though Thursday, June 1, at Baton Rouge Gallery.
Burke’s exhibit, “February Morning. Other Places,” uses landscapes as a source of inspiration and a means to process Burke’s relationship with the world. Through the use of acrylic paint, photography, and design, he creates dynamic compositions that convey a sense of movement and depth.
“The play between abstraction and realism is obvious, as is the concern and manipulation of space: what is up or forward, and back or receding,” Burke said. “Color, value and the careful treatment of edges establish the space logic of each piece. Seeing the way these formal aspects can give new content to the subject of trees on a dark morning is what keeps the artist looking for a fresh panel.”
Burke is one of the most influential contemporary arts figures in south Louisiana and is professor emeritus at LSU.
Sarah House’s exhibit, ‘Patterns of Nature,’ runs through Thursday, June 1, at Baton Rouge Gallery.
House is known for her innovative approach to sculpture, which involves a unique blend of traditional ceramic techniques and modern technology, which is seen in her exhibit, “Patterns of Nature.”
“My work focuses on systems of interconnection in nature, as embodied by natural fractals,” she said. “The works all reference nature in familiar yet ambiguous ways, inviting the viewer to imagine a root system, a reef, a body and find connection, and hopefully, reminding the viewer of the complex beauty of nature.”
House has been recognized globally for her work while participating in exhibitions across Europe, Asia and North America. She teaches ceramics at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts and the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts and is a resident of Mehle Studios in Old Arabi.
Brian Kelly’s exhibit, ‘Current Migrations,’ runs through Thursday, June 1, at Baton Rouge Gallery.
Kelly, a celebrated printmaker, is known for his dynamic and expressive drawings, which form the basis of his printmaking practice. His exhibit, “Current Migrations,” embraces the both the abstract and representational.
“The prints are narratives that talk about time, specific experiences and places that are social, personal and political in nature,” Kelly said. “The compositions tend to be overflowing with imagery and seemingly chaotic but always grounded in a strong sense of structural formalism and a pure love for the rendering of form.”
Kelly serves as head of the printmaking program and is the coordinator of Marais Press at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he holds the Coca-Cola/BORSF endowed professorship.
Liz Lessner’s exhibit, ‘illegible seeks same’ runs through Thursday, June 1, at Baton Rouge Gallery.
Lessner creates sculptures using both old and new techniques. Her exhibit, “illegible seeks same,” uses technology to make exciting things with which to interact.
“This project engages my ongoing fascination with preconscious forms of affect, how gesture translates between impulse and agency and the ways that memory and time mutate the significance of those affects and interactions,” she said.
Lessner is founder of the Sensory Engagement Lab, a community-based research platform that probes how novel combinations of materials and embedded electronics contribute to the sensory experience by fostering collaborations between artists, technologists and other thinkers to produce interactive and experimental artworks.
She also is a co-founder of Yes We Cannibal, a Baton Rouge-based project space for unrestricted and non-hierarchical cultural experimentation in the areas of art, music, food, social research and performance.
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