Wednesday, October 07, 2015

Spice mandalas, digital chlorophyllation. sequinned voudou: tripping meditatively in Meadows Museum, Shreveport

Meadows Museum, Shreveport

The mystic Meadows vibe began with sequined voudou flags and maps in the Haitian art display. They are dimly lit so as to preserve the fabric. Does the quiet light remind the viewer of the low lumens typical of artists' shops in the old quarter of Port au Prince?

Sitting cross-legged on the carpeted floors was what this artist found most comfortable in the 2 upstairs exhibits.

In a dark room is a digital exhibit of subtle action and form - New Orleans artist Courtney Egan has installed captures of flowers of the Crescent City and caught them in intimate action. The metamorphoses are accompanied by appealing, wee sounds.

Symmetric mandalas made of vivid plats of spices filled 2 rooms in Meadows and another room at Turner Art Center across Centenary Blvd from Meadows. It is an exhibit by artist Stephen Watson. While he is not a Tibetan Buddhist monk, Watson is most assuredly inspired by Tibetan sand sculpture. His designs present a powerful marriage of color and form, some of them reminding me of Matisse cut outs.

Highly recommended.

Meadows hours have been extended under the new directors: Tues - Fri, 11am-6pm and Sat, noon - 4pm.

Lecture by Dr David Otto on Sat, Oct 10, 1 pm: "Mandalas: Their Meaning and Use" at the Meadows - in conjunction wi the art of Stephen Watson.

Meadows Museum, Shreveport

No comments: