Project Innovate hosts exhibition in Student Union, creates a creative community at LSU

Project Innovate Studios, a creative collective of LSU Students, recently had a solo exhibit in the LSU Student Union Art Gallery.

The collective has an extensive resume of projects, from a fashion show to its own editorial magazine. 

Zahir Muhammad, a communications junior and founding committee member of Project Innovate Studios, said the group helped spark his creativity and showed him a community he didn’t even realize was at LSU. 

“Coming to LSU, it was hard to find the underground creative scene,” said Muhammad. “My best friend Jordan opened the door and introduced me to a world of creativity that I didn’t know was here.”

Community is an integral aspect of what Project Innovate Studios does, as it was founded upon an innate desire to create the spaces that its committee wanted to see. The collective aims to bring together local artists of all kinds who typically would not have a space to share their work with others. 

Its most recent exhibition, a fashion gala, being hosted in the Student Union Art Gallery created a sense of intimacy that encouraged attendees to treat the event like a unique but comforting experience.

Guests stood in the dark, packed room as committee members and gala were introduced. From there, the lights came on, Lil Yachty’s latest album began to play and you could see fireworks going off in brains as the newness of the experience began to set in. 

This was Project Innovate Studios’ goal the entire time. To ignite fires within individuals through art and inspire them to keep the ball rolling.

Muhammad’s own exposure to the arts throughout his formative years, whether is was playing piano or learning to speak Spanish, are a driving force behind his creative endeavors and have shaped his outlook on life.

“All of these things are ingrained in who I am,” said Muhammad. “I’m a visual director, but I also make music, do modeling and lead organizations. All of these things stem back to me being a visualizer and pursuing whatever I’m passionate about.”

Muhammad believes that Project Innovate’s projects tell a story of perseverance. He also cited Tyler the Creator, Saba and his friends as his biggest creative inspirations, as all of these people have influenced his artistry by being unapologetically raw about theirs.

The goal of Project Innovate Studios’ work is that artists can make the impossible possible through hard work and believing in their talents. 

The collective will also be hosting a free art exhibit, “Faces: Louisiana Through Their Eyes,” at the Capitol Park Museum on Friday, April 28 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. To keep up with future Project Innovate Studios events, people can head to its Instagram, @projectinnovatestudios.