The 2018 LSU Student Art Show opened up its gallery in the LSU Student Union for students all across campus. Not only does the gallery feature work by students studying art but also from future engineers, psychologists and digital designers. The show gives students of all majors the chance to showcase their art.
The multimedia exhibit opened Jan. 29 and will close Feb. 16 after Mardi Gras break. Students submitted their work, from paintings and drawings to clay work and glass art. Many people take up art as a pastime but only few go on to study art once they get to college, so the expo helps show how many University students are artistically talented, no matter their major.
Freshman psychology major Kofi Robinson is just one student who submitted her art to the show. She has three pieces in the show titled, “Vulnerability,” “Park Jimin” and “IU.”
“When I see something really beautiful, I just feel the need to capture it,” Robinson said. “It makes me feel like I’m a part of it.”
Robinson has been drawing since fifth grade and decided to submit one of her favorite pieces, “IU,” that she drew in 2016. She used the South Korean singer IU as inspiration because she views her as having a calm, confident and strong aura. Robinson liked how the ribbon in the picture represented who she was, and she felt the need to try to capture it. Robinson said the inspiration to draw comes from the need to capture beauty in a realistic way.
While psychology is her main focus, Robinson shows how art goes far beyond putting a picture on paper. She said art is a way for people to express themselves and while it may not be the career choice for some, it is still a passion that many have.
Senior political science major Lauren Andrepont has displayed a passion for art for the majority of her life, yet she chose to go in a different direction for a career. When looking at her piece, “Waves pt. II,” viewers can see there is something beyond the abstract design.
“I love to capture nature,” Andrepont said. “With this piece, I saw it in my head and I painted it. It came out exactly the way I saw it and how I wanted it to and that’s very rare.”
Andrepont was drawn to the expo because it was advertised for people from all majors. Though Andrepont studies political science, art has been a part of her life since about second grade. Months before graduation, Andrepont is still not sure if she wants to go all in with art, but definitely has a passion for it. She said she’s grateful to the expo to have the opportunity to put her art on display and showcase something she’s really passionate about.
“It’s a creative outlet for me,” Andrepont said. “I realized that no matter what I do in my life, I have to have some sort of creative outlet.”
The Student Art Show gives students an outlet for creating art, even if they’ve dedicated their lives to non-art fields. The show’s curator Heather Gulino said the University loves to put this show on to see students express themselves through art.
“Many people use painting, photography, etc. as a hobby or an outlet and may never have been able to show their pieces in an official gallery exhibit if it weren’t for the LSU Student Art Gallery,” Gulino said.

Gallery • 6 Photos

Lauren Watson

Kōfi Robinson's "Park Jimin" is on display in the LSU Student Art Exhibit in the LSU Student Union on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018.