Louisiana Art & Science Museum Celebrates Women for Women’s History Month

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/8/23

Contact: Marion Mayfield, Communications Manager, mmayfield@lasm.org, (225) 344-5272, ext. 111

Women artists whose work is currently on view at LASM include Ashley Longshore, Margaret Stones, Clementine Hunter, Ida Kohlmeyer, Angela Gregory, Malaika Favorite, and Paula Sharp.

Diamonds of History: Mighty Women by Ashley Longshore is on view in LASM’s Main Gallery 1. The first museum exhibition by famed New Orleans-based artist Ashley Longshore, Diamonds of History features pop art portraits from Longshore’s Mighty Women series. The exhibition traces the lives and the impact that these heroines have had through their work in the arts, sciences, political sphere, and beyond.

“Ashley Longshore’s vibrant, pop art-style portraits feature history-changing women from Harriet Tubman to Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Malala Yousafzai,” states President & Executive Director Serena Pandos. “Just as carbon transforms into a diamond under pressure, the women featured in this exhibition have been trailblazers, shifting the course of history despite adversity.”

Artistry and Accuracy: Botanical Illustrations by Margaret Stones is on view in LASM’s Catwalk Gallery. This exhibition features the botanical illustrations of Australian-born Margaret Stones, one of the world’s most celebrated botanical artists. The artist’s drawings document Louisiana’s plants and flowers with accurate scientific detail while also artistically and uniquely capturing the flora’s intricate beauty.

Our Louisiana, on view in the Soupçon Gallery, displays works from LASM’s permanent collection that were created by Louisiana-born or Louisiana-based artists including Adalie Brent, Ida Kohlmeyer, Julia Sims, Malaika Favorite, Lin Emery, Angela Gregory, and Clementine Hunter.

Wild Bees: Photography by Paula Sharp & Ross Eatman, on view in LASM’s Colonnade Gallery, displays a collection of twenty-six photographs that were taken during a three-year project documenting wild bees that was led in part by photojournalist Paula Sharp.

“The National Museum of Women in the Arts asked the question ‘can you name five women artists?’ in a viral social media campaign intended to highlight the continued inequality between men and women in the art world,” continues Pandos. “Unfortunately, most people polled could only name one or two women artists, if any at all. At LASM, we are proud to help bridge that gap by providing our community with the opportunity to view, engage with, and understand artwork created by women.”

LASM was originally launched by a steering committee of the Junior League of Baton Rouge, an organization of women dedicated to volunteerism and philanthropy. LASM has continued its legacy of women leadership since its founding, with only three President & Executive Directors since the museum was incorporated in 1962 – Adalié Brent, Carol Gikas, and currently Serena Pandos.

“We hope you choose to visit LASM this March to see these exhibitions as part of your Women’s History Month,” continues Pandos. All exhibitions are included in the price of general admission to the museum.

To learn more, visit lasm.org.

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About the Louisiana Art & Science Museum:

Located at 100 South River Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70801 and housed on the banks of the Mississippi River in a historic railway station in downtown Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum believes that art and science shape each other, our lives, and the world. 

Founded in 1962, the LASM is home to a permanent collection including over 4,000 objects; one of the only permanent ancient Egypt galleries in the southeastern United States, housing an authentic, Ptolemaic-era mummy; displays changing art exhibitions of local and international acclaim; and since 2003, the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium: the largest and most advanced planetarium in Louisiana and one of the largest in the southeastern United States.

LASM is now open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10 AM – 3 PM, Saturdays from 10 AM – 5 PM, and Sundays from 1 PM – 5 PM. Museum doors open at 9:45 AM for seating in the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium. On Saturdays and Sundays, the last planetarium show runs at 4 PM. Admission, which includes unlimited access to all planetarium shows, is free for members and children 2 years old and under; $10 for children ages 3-12 and senior adults aged 65 and up; and $12 for adults. Active-duty military members, first responders, military veterans, and their families receive free admission with ID as part of the Blue Star Museums program, sponsored by Special Risk Insurance DBA VFIS of Miss/Lou. 

A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the Museum relies on the support of donations to operate; support the Museum and become a member for free general admission year-round at lasm.org. Stay in touch at lasm.org and follow us on Facebook (@theLASM) and Instagram (@lasmbr).