“Immersed,” an exhibit by artist Louise LeBourgeois, an educator and 1981 U-High graduate, will be included in Lab’s Corvus gallery within Gordon Parks Arts Hall from Sept. 22-Nov. 17.
“The paintings and drawings in ‘Immersed’ represent different aspects of my artistic practice from 2005 until the present,” Ms. LeBourgeois writes in her didactic panel.
In addition to being an artist, educator and writer, Ms. LeBourgeois is a passionate open-water swimmer and feels a strong connection with open areas, such as natural bodies of water and skies.
“My water/sky paintings and drawings are also an expression of that passion. They are also a commentary on the environmental complexities we humans face,” Ms. LeBourgeois writes. “In 2023, our planet has experienced the hottest temperatures on record. We face an uncertain future. There’s a lot that is already out of our control.”
Math teacher Shauna Anderson first met Ms. LeBourgeois not as an artist or an educator, but as an open-water swimming instructor cheering from the sidelines while Ms. Anderson ran a triathlon. After learning that Ms. LeBourgeois was both an artist and a Lab alumna, she introduced her to Gina Alicea, an art teacher and director of the Corvus Gallery.
“I was like ‘Oh, my friend Ms. Alicea is also an artist. I’ll introduce her to you because you’re both artists,’” Ms. Anderson said. “So me, Ms. Alicea and Louise, we’ve gotten together and had meals together, and now we kind of have a little group.”
Ms. Alicea feels that “Immersed” will be meaningful to Lab students in terms of mastering their artistic craft and finding their voice.
“I think as artists, we’re always trying to find a way to express ourselves through our visual arts, but now she’s (Ms. LeBourgeois) found both the visual and the words,” Ms. Alicea said. “It appeals to anybody that’s been down at Lake Michigan or any student that may see that the colors change every day.”
