Battle at the River Bottom: Drawings and Videos by Kristen Lowe

The Hillstrom Museum of Art, Gustavus Adolphus College, presents Battle at the River Bottom: Drawings and Videos by Kristen Lowe, on view November 22, 2021 through January 25, 2022, with an opening reception November 22, 7 to 9 p.m.

A Gallery Talk in the exhibition will be presented by Lowe during the opening reception, starting at 7:30 p.m., and Lowe will also give another Gallery Talk on Sunday, January 23, starting at 2:00 p.m.

Battle at the River Bottom features a new body of work by the artist, who is an associate professor of art at the College, in particular her “carved drawings.”  In these works, Lowe hand carves—into sanded and richly-painted soft basswood—intricate patterned, animal-occupied compositions to generate dimensional landscape “drawings” into which she nestles detailed charcoal scenes.  Also exhibited are works featuring eagles, osprey, and vintage postage stamps.  Lowe notes the influence of Scandinavian ballads on her work, which represent her deep longing to integrate her aesthetic education as an artist growing up in the United States with her Scandinavian heritage.  And she indicates her thoughts and goals for the works in her Artist Statement:

“More than ever, it is a sense of connection with the natural world we crave. Stories emerge as we coexist alongside creatures in the landscape. In challenging moments, these shared and interactive experiences with various species bring us home to what Carl Jung referred to as the “animal body.” Whenever possible, I cherish opportunities when I can emerge from the technology swamp, which has never described the world in which we live, to patiently work in the landscape over an extended period of time. Observing an array of vivid sensory details brings greater integration of the human psyche and instinctual animal modalities. When we reconnect with elemental forces, we can explore our childlike imagination, and a visceral, powerful wholeness innate, moving through all things.”

Most of the works in Battle at the River Bottom are available for purchase directly from the artist, who will donate 50% of the sales price of works sold from the exhibition to one of three recipients: a scholarship set up for Gustavus Adolphus College studio art majors, or Habitat for Humanity, or a charity chosen by the buyer.  A price list can be requested from the Museum attendant.

A fully illustrated catalogue for Battle at the River Bottom will be available free of charge at the exhibit.  A PDF version of the catalogue can be found on the Museum website at https://gustavus.edu/finearts/hillstrom/, as will a link to a video walk-through tour of the exhibit that is being planned for inclusion on the College’s YouTube channel.

Regular Museum hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.- to 4:00 p.m. and weekends, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.  All exhibitions and related programming are free and open to the public.

NOTE that COVID restrictions currently in place at Gustavus Adolphus College require that masks be worn indoors, including in the Hillstrom Museum of Art.  For updates to COVID restrictions, see the Museum website at www.gustavus.edu/hillstrom.