michael w. howes -

heads @ lac boeuf

Nov 22 - dec 22, 2022*

FIRST WEDNESDAY opening: dec 7, from 6 - 9pm

ARTICULATE ARTIST TALK: SUNDAY, dec 11, AT 4PM.

normal gallery hours: TUe - SUn, 12PM - 6PM

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NOTE: The gallery will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday (Nov 24 - 25).

Living and teaching in South Louisiana have had a profound effect on Michael w. Howes’ art. His observation of and concern for the changing culture, vanishing coastline, and endangered wetlands of the area are evident in his work. The flora and fauna of South Louisiana are the sources of the “Irds,” “Rugas,” and “Sects” that populate his drawings and sculpture. Using these creatures of his invention as metaphors, Howes expresses the vulnerability and the uniqueness of the people, animals, and plants of this region, highlighting the often unforeseen and unpredictable changes that occur in their surroundings.

In one of his most recent series of works, known as the Lac Boeuf Assemblage Group (the L-BAG drawings and sculptures), Howes uses an array of colored foils and papers to create collage drawings. He also employs many different materials including bamboo, wood, fabric, fiber, and resin to create the sculptures. Depictions of the various Irds and Rugas, represent the lighter and darker sides of the Lac Boeuf world.

“Lac Boeuf is both a geographical location and a mystical place of the mind. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between the two realms. It is a place comprised of a complex group of creatures living out patterns of existence, very much like the world you and I make our way through.
Heads @ Lac Boeuf is a collection of collage/drawings and sculptures that reflect ideas of what are referred to as “trophy heads” hung on the walls of camps and residences. What is the message conveyed by these heads? Are they symbols of the prowess of the hunter or celebrations of the uniqueness and rarity of the hunted?
The significance of such trophy heads” is not found only in the lore of Lac Boeuf; it has also been imparted in stories about Vlad the Impaler in Mayan cultures. In our own society, a profession has emerged that identifies and seeks certain employees. Those who follow this profession are called “head hunters.” - Howes

Learn more about Michael w. Howes.

This exhibition is presented alongside the latest works from Anita Cooke, Frankie Gould, and Isoko Onodera. All works from these artists are on view, free of charge, during normal gallery hours (12 - 6 p.m., Tue - Sun) from November 22 - December 22, 2022. NOTE: The gallery will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday (Nov 24 - 25).