Renovations and the return: Hayden’s Welcome Back

In 2009, the Hayden Hall visual arts gallery reopened after being closed for six years for renovation purposes.
At the first notion of the reopening of the gallery, Associate Professor and Gallery Director, Robert Cox organized a grand opening show to feature art majors in the gallery’s very first showing. In that exhibit, there were 29 artists featured.
Ten years and many showings later, the Southern University visual arts gallery is preparing to host the 10th Annual Homecoming Art Exhibition: SU Visual Arts Alumni IV.
Part of the preparation includes another round of renovations to the gallery after a leaky air conditioner caused the floor to soak up the water and buckle in some areas last spring.
The floors in the gallery are currently being redone, and are projected to be complete within the week.
Confident about the renewal of the visual arts gallery, Professor Cox has not lost any momentum saying, “It is truly going to be a homecoming and a visual arts family reunion.”
This years’ show will feature 29 artists as well, 7 of those being artists from the original show in 2009.
“For me that’s very important and very positive because a lot of times people have the attitude that art students don’t continue to make art,” Cox continued.
Baton Rouge native Llewellyn Bradford studied at Southern part-time in 2001, and was drawn into the department of visual arts. He is one of the original artists from the 2009 exhibition.
Nostalgic, Bradford shared, “I feel good about coming back to be a part of it. I’ve never been a part of the alumni show before, but I’m glad to be a part of this one.”
His piece “Boat Ride Down the River”, created with tempera paint and oil paint, will be featured in the exhibition.
The opening reception of the exhibition is during homecoming week, on Tuesday, September 25 from 6-8 p.m. The exhibit will run through Thursday, October 11, 2018.