LSU Museum of Art presents A Bayou State of Mind on view September 4, 2025.
on view September 4, 2025-January 4, 202
Baton Rouge, LA – The LSU Museum of Art is pleased to announce A Bayou State of Mind, on view September 4, 2025.
How do you translate the spirit of your environment?
The exhibition A Bayou State of Mind showcases the rich tapestry of Louisiana’s culture, traditions, history, land, and essence, as a diverse mix of artists respond to and envision the state’s unique character as translated through their personal experiences and histories. From the deep-rooted perspectives of natives such as Malaika Favorite, John T. Scott, and Shirley Rabé Masinter, to the evocative impressions of those captivated during brief encounters, like Nathalie Miebach and Richard Misrach, the objects relate intimate responses to a complex environment.
George Rodrigue, Watchdog, 1981–1984. Oil on canvas. Collection of Randy Morris, ©George Godfrey Rodrigue, Jr. Family Trust.
A highlight of the exhibition is The Bayou Collection, a series of forty paintings by George Rodrigue (1944-2013), originally created to accompany a compilation of ghost stories by author Chris Segura. Premiered at the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans, Rodrigue’s imaginative renderings are steeped in his signature Cajun style. This labor of love includes the first painting of Rodrigue’s iconic “Blue Dog”—his cherished spaniel-terrier, Tiffany. Watchdog depicts the loup-garou, a mythical werewolf dog who lurks in cemeteries and sugar cane fields. The artist envisioned the creature as small and blue, with piercing yellow eyes. Using old photographs of Tiffany as the model, the painting presents the viewer with a "beast” who appears more misunderstood and approachable, rather than scary. Tiffany’s premiere in The Bayou Collection was a pivot point for Rodrigue—as the dog became the primary focus of his work from this point forward.
A Bayou State of Mind represents a broad overview of contemporary presented in over 120 objects, including photography, new media, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. The artists embody an array of cultural heritages and backgrounds, mirroring the diverse nature of Louisiana. The full list of artists featured in the exhibition include: Ben Depp (photography), Johanna Warwick (photography), James Michalopoulos (painting), Nathalie Miebach (sculpture), Vitus Shell (painting), Jesse Allison (new media), Derrick Ostrenko (new media), Ron Bechet (drawing and painting), John T. Scott (printmaking), Shirley Rabé Masinter (painting), Malaika Favorite (mixed media), Carl Joe Williams (painting), Eric Waters (photography), Gene Koss (glass), Hunt Slonem (paintings), Rolland Golden (painting), Tina Freeman (photography), Carrie Mae Weems (photography), Janice Sachse (printmaking), Morgan Elmore, Jr. (painting), Robert Warrens (printmaking), Letitia Huckaby (mixed media), Jonathan Bachman (photography), Richard Misrach (photography), Debbie Fleming Caffery (photography), Dawn Dedeaux (sculpture), David Freese (photography), Thomas Neff (photography), Michael Frederic Daugherty (mixed media), Sidney Garrett (sculpture), Steve Rucker (ceramics), and George Rodrigue (painting).
EXHIBITION PROGRAMS
ABOUT LSU MUSEUM OF ART
LSU Museum of Art is supported by a grant from the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, funded by the East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President & Metro Council; and in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. LSUMOA thanks the generous donors to the Annual Fund. Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program. Additional support is provided by generous donors to the LSU Museum of Art Annual Exhibition Fund.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The museum is located in downtown Baton Rouge at 100 Lafayette Street on the Fifth Floor of the Shaw Center for the Arts. General admission is $5 each for adults and children age 13 and over. Admission is free to university faculty and students with ID, children age 12 and under, and museum members. Active-duty military and veterans, first responders, and their families receive free admission with ID as part of the Blue Star Museums program. Show your EBT card and photo ID at the admissions desk and receive free admission for up to 4 individuals as part of the Museums for All initiative. Museum Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m.; and closed on Mondays and major holidays. Free admission occurs on the first Sunday of each month. For more information: visit www.lsumoa.org, call 225-578-3000, and follow the museum on social media @lsumoa for exhibition and program updates.
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