INTERCONNECTED COMMUNITIES

Interconnectedness is inherent in community . We are connected to one another and our place through interwoven networks: through the spaces within which we gather, the art we view together, the parks where we share walks, and the events that tie our important memories to locations and people . This theme of interconnectedness is a unifying element of the exhibitions hosted this fall at the Lakewood Cultural Center and Civic Center Galleries.

Animalia, a group show in the North Gallery including artist James Overstreet and others, will explore the taxonomic kingdom of all animals, including humans. The works, ranging from painting to sculpture, will touch on the human relationship and fascination with the animals who share our homes and our environments. Animals, of the nonhuman type, have captured the imagination and awe of civilizations throughout history. We personify and imbue human notions of language and cultural characteristics onto all manner of animal species, sometimes even through the creation of chimera, or completely new imagined beings. This human captivation with the animal kingdom demonstrates the intimate interconnectedness of creatures great and small. Visit the Lakewood Cultural Center galleries mid-September through the end of December to experience how artists are inspired by the world of Animalia.

The Lakewood Arts Council’s exceptional group show in the Mezzanine Gallery highlighting creative talent across an array of mediums, along with group and solo shows in the Richey and Corner Galleries from Shirley Santamaso, Tony Bugarin and more, round out this fall’s exhibition lineup. These shows each illuminate the ways in which we are interconnected through creativity, community, and culture.

LEFT: Blinded by James Overstreet