Some Boys, a Few Bunnies, and One Lousy Unicorn:
Sculptures by Alex Podesta
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION:
Bunnies are curious and mischievous. They scamper about, hiding in plain sight, and are simultaneously timid and high-spirited. Throughout the early 20th century, authors and artists personified bunnies into cherished characters—Bugs Bunny, the Looney Tunes animation created by Leon Schlesinger Productions (later Warner Brothers), Peter the Rabbit, the storybook rogue imagined by Beatrix Potter, and Rabbit, Winnie-the-Pooh’s faithful companion invented by A.A. Milne, who modeled the character after his son’s beloved stuffed toy. Bunnies are truly inspirational.
As a child, New Orleans artist Alex Podesta, dressed in his favorite fuzzy, footed pajamas, imagined himself as a rabbit, taking on the characteristics of his cartoon hero—Bugs Bunny. Armed with Bugs’s wit, self-confidence, and keenness, Podesta went on adventures, both real and imagined. The artist captures this childhood innocence and fascination with the world through meticulously modeled sculptural self-portraits. The fantastical tableaux reference Podesta’s inner thoughts, desires, and memories. While whimsical at first sight, the existential scenes become darker upon further examination. We get a sense of loneliness, isolation, and the loss of childhood wonder as adulthood inevitably takes over our lives.
ON VIEW AT LSU MOA: October 13, 2022–April 2, 2023
Alex Podesta working in his art studio in New Orleans, Louisiana
Learn more from artist Alex Podesta during this interview about his creative process and artworks. Film by Trai Thomas.
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Alex Podesta was born in North Carolina. He received a bachelor of arts from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, and a master of fine arts from the University of New Orleans in Louisiana, permanently relocating to the state after graduation. Podesta’s sculptures have been exhibited nationally and internationally, featured in periodicals such as ARTnews, Oxford America, ArtPapers, and the Washington Post, and are in numerous public and private collections.
LSU MOA Installation
Artist Interview: Coming Soon!
Exhibition Lenders & Sponsors
Support for this exhibition and all LSU MOA exhibitions is provided by the generous donors to the Annual Exhibition Fund: Louisiana CAT; The Imo N. Brown Memorial Fund in memory of Heidel Brown and Mary Ann Brown; The Alma Lee, H.N. and Cary Saurage Fund; Charles "Chuck" Edward Schwing; Robert and Linda Bowsher; Becky and Warren Gottsegen; LSU College of Art + Design; Mr. and Mrs. Sanford A. Arst; and The Newton B. Thomas Family/Newtron Group Fund.
Some Boys, a Few Bunnies, and One Lousy Unicorn: Sculptures by Alex Podesta will be on view at the LSU Museum of Art in Baton Rouge, Louisiana from October 13, 2022–March 26, 2023. Learn more in this press release.