Showcases Women’s Lens in New Photography Exhibition

The Louisiana State University Museum of Art has opened a fresh look at women’s photography, turning the spotlight from one celebrated photographer to many. Initially the show was set to feature only Anne Noggle, a prolific 20th‑century photographer whose forty works had never been displayed. Curator Michelle Schulte, however, found a wealth of images by other female artists while reviewing the museum’s collection. “The photography collection is one of our strongest points, ” Schulte says, noting that many works by women had remained unseen. She decided to create a broader celebration of female vision. The exhibition began on June 11 with an evening reception and will run until August 30. The opening event also honored the “Southern Arts Southern Prize & State Fellowships for Visual Arts, ” which debuted earlier that month. The new show presents 43 images from a variety of women photographers, and it partners with the Paul R. Jones Collection of African American Art at the University of Alabama to deepen its diversity.Themes explored in the gallery include social justice, feminism, feminine aesthetics, aging, and relationships. While Anne Noggle’s work—particularly her focus on the aging female form and personal connections—was a key inspiration, she is not the sole star. Noggle was also a World War II and Korean War WASP pilot, photographing female Russian fighter pilots before shifting her lens to more intimate subjects. The museum enriches the experience with direct quotes from Noggle herself, who reflected on aging faces as “the revelation of life and the conflict between what was and what they are now. ” Her words frame the collection’s contemplative tone. Other highlighted photographers feature names such as Sheila Turner, Carrie Mae Weems, Celestia Morgan, Clarissa Thompson Sligh, Sheila Pree Bright, Amalia Amaki, Suda House, Marina Mullaney, Kristine Thompson, Kenda North, Akasha Rabut, and Melanie Walker. Schulte emphasizes that all images displayed from the museum’s holdings are first‑time public exhibitions, many of which were donated in the past decade.