The Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum Shows the Art of George Schmidt

Written by Archibald Derleth Wednesday, 08 February 2012 21:12

Lafayette, Louisiana.- The Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum is pleased to present "Satire, Scandal, and Spectacle: the Art of George Schmidt" on view at the museum through May 26th. An engaging storyteller both visually and aurally, New Orleans artist George Schmidt brings to life myths, tales, and scandals from Louisiana history in his provocative paintings, prints, and drawings. This exhibition will showcase the many examples of Schmidt’s visual elucidation on Louisiana characters, scandals, myths, and musings along with his mélange of Roman history and Louisiana personalities. History and the present come to life in the artist’s deft hands. George Schmidt was born in New Orleans on November 14, 1944 at the Touro Infirmary. His earliest drawing was at the age of three in his parent's receipt book at the Lauralee Guest House on St. Charles Avenue. George imitated the stick men, known as Dixie Doodles, from the Dixie Beer ad campaign of the time, which proved to his doting mother, Josephine, that her little boy was a child prodigy.

Schmidt is an oxymoron typical of the City of New Orleans - a creative reactionary. George's anti-modernism is best expressed by Leon Alberti in the 15th century treatise, On Painting; "Painting exists in order that the dead should live again and the distant brought near." George maintained his rigorous classical style in interpreting New Orleans and her history in a number of major canvases depicting, "A History of Jazz" with their accompanying studies, which was exhibited along with the studies, in a one man show at the New Orleans Museum of Art, and now to be seen at Generations Hall, "A History of Carnival", painted for the Inter-Continetal Hotel in New Orleans and numerous canvases illustrating scenes from the City's artistic past. George was the first artist in residence at the Louisiana World Exposition in 1984. In 1999, he was invited to exhibit his drawing of "Nick LaRocca at the Corner of Canal and Royal Streets,1915", and a painting of "The Arrest of Louis Armstrong" at the Biennale in Florence, Italy.


George's masterfully drawn and richly painted works are represented in numerous public and private collections in the United States, Europe and Asia. He has been extensively profiled in film, television, print interviews and documentaries that have been released throughout the world. Recently George was featured on 'The American Experience' on PBS and other national media post Hurricane Katrina and has been featured on National Public Radio and in Louisiana Cultral Vistas, Offbeat and InConcert magazines.

The Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum in Lafayette, Louisiana is Acadiana’s architectural landmark and the largest art museum between Houston and New Orleans. The Museum features a variety of changing exhibitions and a continuing schedule of lectures and programs. Come enjoy the Museum and the beauty of University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus, just blocks away from the galleries, shops and famous restaurants of downtown Lafayette and the Oil Center. The museum’s collection consists of 18th through 21st century European, Asian and American art works. Selections from the permanent collection are on view on a rotating basis. In addition to the permanent collection, the 11,000 sq. ft. of gallery space features changing exhibitions of regional, national and international art. Visit the museum's website at ... http://museum.louisiana.edu

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