Cartie Whitelaw, a 19-year-old Austin, Texas, native was recently selected to have a solo exhibition at the Student Union Art Gallery.
Whitelaw fused individual experiences and collective ones in his exhibition, “Connection Through Confusion.”
Whitelaw, an anthropology and sociology double-major, has no formal training in art and began his journey at the age of 5. After drawing and painting for a few years, he decided to start sharing his work on social media in high school.
Since then, he has cultivated a distinct art style and been featured in multiple exhibitions. “Connection through Confusion” is his first solo exhibition in his time at LSU. His work was previously featured in the Student Union Art Gallery for a fall 2021 exhibit.
The underlying message of Whitelaw’s current exhibition is how we are all subtly interconnected. His experiences with navigating being a gay man while living in the Deep South are another driving force behind his work.
“I have had many experiences with loneliness, isolation and feeling really confused about what it means to be me in this life,” Whitelaw said. “I really wanted to make an exhibition for people who can relate and let them know that in your moments of confusion, connecting with others is the one truth we can find despite what’s going on around us.”
If you stop by Whitelaw’s exhibition on the second floor of the Student Union, you will likely see and feel exactly what he means. His use of striking colors and textures are meant to convey the human experience through art and serve as a melancholy reminder that we are never as alone as we may feel.
“Connection is what makes the world make sense,” said Whitelaw. “I hope that people view my exhibition and take away that they are not alone and we are interconnected in one way or the other.”
Whitelaw is a junior at LSU and is set to graduate next year. His research background in social anthropology and sociology has influenced his artistry, as well as his outlook on life and long-term career goals.
Whitelaw has every intention of continuing to make art while also pursuing academia. His story is one of perseverance, and the goal of his art is to show that being multifaceted and not bending to society’s rigidity can sometimes be the catalyst for healing.
“Our low points don’t define us and eventually become something we look back on and find beauty in,” Whitelaw said. “All of it is a part of a bigger plan that you don’t realize.”
