LSU MOA presents Mari and James A. Michener Collection

by David Nelson

Ever ponder what freedom looks like? The LSU Museum of Art will be presenting Mari and James A. Michener’s Collection of unconventional 20th century American art at the Shaw Center from June 11 to Nov. 30.

James A. Michener, a Pulitzer Prize novelist, known for his works “Tales of the South Pacific” and “Centennial,” has collected an extensive amount of 20th century American art. Nearly 40 paintings will be on display. “This exhibition was put together by the Blanton Museum at the University of Texas at Austin, and they put it together as a sort of ‘teaching tool,’” Victoria Cooke, Museum Curator, said. No prior knowledge of art is needed to enjoy the exhibit.

The exhibit shows American artists exploring freedom in their art. “People were experimenting with spray guns and fabric and weird shapes in a way that I think of as very American,” Cooke explained. The atomic bomb was one of the items that shook up the 20th century. It forced artists to think of the world and the way they made art differently. She also added, “American artists did not have centuries of history to weigh them down. Americans continually push the envelope of what is and isn’t art.”

Explaining the novelty of the collection Cooke said, “I think that its important for students to realize that art reacts to the world around the artists,” Cooke explains. Paul Georges and Lester Johnson are artists featured in the exhibition that were visiting artists at LSU. The collection contains a wide variety of art. All students should be able to find something they enjoy.

The exhibit is free for LSU students and will be open for 5 months.