After School Special: Dishman Art Museum hosts fourth juried art show

The Dishman Art Museum has launched After School Special: The Fourth Juried Alumni Art Exhibition at LU and the first in-person juried show for the museum since the start of the pandemic.

The After School Special offers an opportunity for LU graduates of all majors to share their creative work and art pieces –– one body of work that encompasses five to seven art pieces ––at the Dishman Art Museum. The museum then selects jurors to review submissions and make final selections to curate the show. This year’s show, jurored by Lynn Castle, executive director of the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, features a mix of photography, prints, mixed media, a large installation and assemblage.

“To me, good art is art that really challenges people and really makes you think. There’s something in it that makes you stop –– and that’s what any artist would want, to stop people in their tracks –– and it makes you look at it and dig in,” said Dennis Kiel, museum director. “The really important part of that is you know the person is going to leave the museum still thinking about the piece.” 

Audra LaCour '16, lab technician within the Department of Art & Design and LU alum, also will have her photography featured in the show.

“For my pieces, I go around and take photos of trash and I observe items that people have chosen to throw away,” LaCour said. “I sort of take an archeological eye to the items because it reveals what people value. When you throw something away, it no longer has value and I am hoping that people can look at my photos and see a new life in the objects that I have presented.”

Other alumni artists featured in this year's show are Greg Busceme '79, Elizabeth Fontenot '13, Sunni Forcier '15, Justin LeBlanc '10, Amy Richard '84 and Justin Varner '05.

With seven featured artists and a diverse group of art pieces, Kiel says the community won’t be disappointed. “There’s something for everyone –– we like to say that if you come, you’ll find something that you like."

After School Special will run from June 24 to July 30 and the public is invited to join the opening reception on Friday, June 15 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Dishman Art Museum located on the Lamar University campus (1030 East Lavaca Street. Admission and parking are free.

The Dishman Art Museum is open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – p.m. and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.