Artist Statement

I create work about how political, social, and cultural platforms can be turned into personal acts of care. Conversation and interaction are integral parts of my creative process, which allow me to explore a blurred boundary between gallery exhibit and social practice. Color, texture, installation, and community building all combine to create a shared space of connection and contemplation. For years I have examined the importance of human connection and its visual embodiment. My resulting praxis embodies connection, community building, and relational exchange.

The concept of radical care is especially important to how I approach my paintings and installations. It is my way of visually expressing Martin Buber’s I/Thou philosophy, which propagates the idea that life finds its meaningfulness through seeing one and other. Much of my work realizes radical care by utilizing a dialogue and engagement process, the results of which are directly incorporated into the painting or installation. This is a reciprocal practice; intimate conversations turn into my making process, which then is presented to contribute to a public, collective voice.

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Short Bio

(b. Duluth, Minnesota) lives and works in St. Paul, MN. Responding to today’s world, I make artwork that challenges isolation, loneliness and disconnection by activating color and light in large-scale work. Local context and creating connections with others is embodied in my creative process and public interventions.

Current projects include: Two large-scale permanent public mosaic artworks at the MSP Airport (2021), 122 Conversations currently installed in MSP airport Terminal 2 (2019- 2022), the Belgrade Art Residency, Serbia (2021), Turn Up the Turn Out, a cohort of 22 artists dedicated to the promotion of voting and voting registration in Minnesota (2020), Response (2020), a body of new works responding to COVID 2020 isolation, an Outdoor fence installation in Berlin, Germany (June 2021), a site-specific participatory public art commission at the Redleaf Center For Family Healing (2021), I Love You Institute, a community-based art project, supported by a Springboard for the Arts community grant, and solo exhibitions at Art In Motion, Holdingford (2021), Concordia St Paul (2021), Minnesota Marine Art Museum (2022), and Rochester Art Center (2023).

Previous exhibitions include: University of Raparin, Rania, Iraqi Kurdistan; Växjö Kunsthall, Växjö, Sweden; Petrozavodsk City Exhibition Hall, Petrozavodsk, Russia; Isumi City Hall, Isumi City, Japan; Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Canada; Tweed Museum, Duluth, MN; Athenaeum in La Jolla, CA; MSP Terminal 2, Minneapolis, MN; MSP Terminal 1, Minneapolis, MN; Crary Art Gallery, Warren, PA; Burnet Gallery, Le Méridien Chambers in Minneapolis; Talgut die Schönen, in Kunste, Germany; and the Chapman Art Center at Cazenovia College, Cazenovia, NY.

My artwork can be found in the following public collections: Minneapolis/St Paul Airport Collection; Frederick R Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis; Minnesota Museum of American Art, St Paul; The Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth; The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, La Jolla, CA; Minnesota Historical Society, St Paul; International Gallery of Portrait, in Bosnia-Herzegovina; Växjö Kommun, City of Vaxjo, Sweden; Isumi City Offices, Isumi City Japan; University of Raparin, Rania Iraqi Kurdistan; and City of Petrozavodsk, Petrozavodsk, Russia.

As part of my praxis, I connect to communities through activism, anti-racism, and public co-creation. I was a participant in the initial cohort of the Woke Coach, founding member of Racial Equity Committee at the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis), and the steering committee of Turn up the Turn Out. My current long-term social practice project is the I Love You Institute, an artist-led site-specific project urgently working with communities to address today’s world creatively. It combines art-making, social justice, radical kindness, and relational listening to normalize, saying “I Love You” as an alternative to division and conflict.

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Education


2017
MFA, Plymouth University, Transart Institute, United Kingdom, Berlin, Germany, New York City, NY
1989
BA, Arts and Psychology, Minor: Minor Art Education & Art History, Hamline University, St. Paul, MN

Selected Solo Exhibitions


2023
Two commissioned permanent collection works for Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
2023
Mayo Clinic Conference on Brain Health and Dementia - Paths to Emotional Wellness
2023
Anne Labovitz Solo Exhibition, Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, La Jolla, CA
2023
Anne Labovitz, The Nexus of Well Being and Art, Rochester Art Center, Rochester MN
2022
Water Stories New Works by Anne Labovitz , MMAM, Winona, MN
2021
Concordia University St Paul, Beacons of Hope, St Paul, MN, Sept. 16 - Oct. 13
2021
Anne Labovitz, Art in Motion, Holdingford, MN (May 3 – June 10)
2020
Response: New Work by Anne Labovitz, Burnet Fine Art, MN (October 24 – November 28)
2019
Exhibition In A Suitcase, Robert W. Regier Art Gallery, Bethel College, KS
2018
122 Conversations, Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN, Touring exhibition
2017
122 Conversations, University of Raparin, Rania, Iraqi Kurdistan, Touring exhibition
2017
122 Conversations, Petrozavodsk City Exhibition Hall, Petrozavodsk, Russia, Touring exhibition
2017
122 Conversations, Växjö Konsthall, Växjö, Sweden, Touring exhibition
2017
122 Conversations, Isumi City Hall, Ohara Isumi-City, Japan, Touring exhibition
2017
Earth & Water, Crary Art Gallery, Warren, PA
2015
122 Conversations, Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Canada, Touring exhibition
2014
Layers, Burnet Gallery, Le Méridien Chambers, Minneapolis, MN
2013
Composite Portraits, Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, MN
2010
Passions, Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, La Jolla, CA
2002-06
Anne Labovitz, El Refor, Bilbao, Spain
2002
Anne Labovitz, Fine Arts Gallery, Arkansas State University, St. University, AK
2002
Anne Labovitz, Chapman Art Center Gallery, Cazenovia College, Cazenovia, NY
2002
New Work by Anne Labovitz, Talgut die Schönen, Künste, Germany
1998
Hot off the Press, Steve Powell Gallery, Taos, NM

Selected Group Exhibitions


2022
Winter Exhibition, Burnet Fine Art, Wayzata, MN Jan. 29-Mar. 26, 2022
2021
Marking Time: What Athenaeum Artists Create in Quarantine, Athenaeum, La Jolla, CA
2020
Foot in the Door 5, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN, Nov. 1, 2020 – Jan. 10, 2021
2020
More is More: The Lyndel and Blaine King Collection, Weisman Art Museum, MN, February – July
2018
Let’s Go Refreshed, Burnet Fine Art, Wayzata, MN, January 25 – April 7
2015
Someone Else’s Story, Burnet Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2013-14
Blood Memoirs, Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, MN, Curated by Amber-Dawn Bear Robe
2013-14
Art Fair, Select Fair NYC, Frieze Week NYC, Burnet Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2013-14
Selections from the Permanent Collection, Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, La Jolla, CA, Curated by Erica Torri
2012
Anima, Fibre Arts Design, Palo Alto, CA
2011
INTERBIFEB XIV, Gallerija Portreta, Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovinia
2010
Pipe 10, Penang State Art Gallery, Penang, Malaysia
2010
National Association of Women Artists, New York, NY
2006
Kunstverein Neustadt e.v., Neustadt, Germany
2002
T.W. Wood Gallery & Art Center, Vermont College, Montpellier, VT
1998
Sanata Reporta, Florence, Italy
1997
Mostra, Commune Centrale, Barga, Italy
1997
Taos Art Association, Taos, NM
1996
Selected Artists, New Masters Fine Art, Taos, NM
1995
Selected Artists, Finley Gallery, Birmingham, AL
1994
Ella and Anne Labovitz, Duluth Art Institute, Duluth, MN

Collaborations


2022
Bill Gamble - Veer-Albam
1997
Present Video Shale I & II, Book Zerina and Honoral
1997
Present Carole Best - Four Dungoen Dwelling books

Public Art


2022
Entanglement of Hope, True/False Film Fest and Ragtag Cinema, Columbia, MO.
2021
Two Mosaics, Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport
2019-21
122 Conversations Installation II, Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, Terminal 2
2019
122 Conversations Installation I, Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, Terminal 1
2015-19
122 Conversations, Petrozavodsk City Exhibition Hall, Petrozavodsk, Russia; Isumi City Hall, Ohara Isumi City, Japan; Växjö Konsthall, Växjö, Sweden, Touring exhibition public art element

Community Engagement and Public Practice


2023
Mayo Clinic 2023 Conference on Brain Health and Dementia - Paths to Emotional Wellness, Rochester, MN US
2018-Present
Artist Founder and Managing Director at I Love You Institute
2013-Present
Artist Founder and Producer at 122 Conversations: Person to Person, Art Beyond Borders
2021
Festival Unbound, Festival Unbound, Touchstone Theater, Bethlehem, PA
2020-21
MFA Mentor, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
2020
I Love You, #Youarenotalone, Mary’s Place Shelter, Minneapolis, MN, Notebooks, Markers, Walker Art Center, MN, Notebooks, Markers, Menlo Park Academy, MSP, Notebooks, Markers, Ramsey Middle School, St. Paul, MN Arts In Motion, Holdingford, MN, 19 youth Internships
2019
Slow Interventions: Moving Toward Connection in Creative Practice, Mind’s Eye, MASS MoCA Love You Institute, Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, Pop-up Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy, Pop-up, Opera Theatre & Lush, Minneapolis, MN, Pop-up Kirby Student Center, University of MN, Duluth, MN, Pop-up, Boys & Girls Club, Duluth, MN, Pop-up MPAC 21 Dance Studio, Duluth, MN, Pop-up
2018
Choices, School of Public Health, School of Fine Arts, University of MN, Duluth Peace through Participatory Art, College Art Association Seattle, WA, Co-presented
2017
Public youth workshops, Ohara Isumi-City, JapanPublic youth and senior workshops, Växjö, Sweden, Växjö Konsthal
2015
Artist-in-Residence, presenter and facilitator, The Model’s Bureau of Radical Accessibility, Curated by Megan Johnston, Sligo, Ireland

Teaching Artist


2022
Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), MFA Professional Practice
2021-22
Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), MFA Mentor - 2 students
2021
Visiting Teaching Artists - MFA, Moravian University, PA

Press


2022
5 winter art shows to catch in the Twin Cities before they melt away, Star Tribune, March 17Lifting up Hope, Columbia Missourian (front page), March 8'Entanglement of Hope', an art installation for True/False Film Festival, Columbia Missourian, March 2Making the unseen visible through True/False art, Vox Magazine, February 28Anne Labovitz - What Emerges, Verve, Placemaker's Post Blog, January 24 Anne Labovitz Wants More Color in Our Lives, Mpls St Paul Mag, January 6
2021
Curtain Rises: Touchstone ‘Festival UnBound’ in third year, Times News, October 2The Untold Story of Art in Motion's First Art Internship Exhibit with Mentor Anne Labovitz, KVSC 88.1 FM, June 1Art in Motion mentorship program culminates in exhibition with visual art, poetry and music, SC Times, April 8MSP Airport Adds to Art Installations with Tasteful Curations, Business Traveler, April 7Best bets: Music, brats, and mind your basil, Duluth News Tribune, March 10Newly commissioned works unveiled at MSP Airport, Lake Superior News, March 7Labovitz's Vibrant Abstract Art Joins MSP Airport's Permanent Collection, WFMZ-TV 69 News, March 4
2020
Art Hounds: Two short plays and a colorful display, MPR News, November 5‘Response’ art exhibition opens at Burnet in Wayzata, Sun Sailor, November 2Minnesota artists make buttons and stickers to get out the vote, Star Tribune, October 22Anne Labovitz, 60 WRD/MIN Art Critic, by Lori Waxman, July 29
2019
Art at the airport: 10 great spots to catch a flight of fancy, Star Tribune, December 15I Love You Pop-Up Event at UMD, Fox 21 Duluth, November 19UMD students practice the art of gratitude, WDIO ABC, November 19Art Happening on St. Paul’s East Side Offers “33 Views” of the World, Star Tribune, April 25St. Paul Art Crawl throws spotlight on East Side’s growing art scene, St. Paul Pioneer Press, AprilAnne Labovitz: 122 Conversations: Person to Person Art Beyond Borders by Mason Riddle, Surface Design Association, March 11Artist’s compact exhibit reflects connections that span the globe, The Kansan, February 18
2018
Minnesota artist Anne Labovitz turns international communication into global artwork, Star Tribune, December 7“Art Beyond Borders’ exhibition, CBS 3 Duluth – UMD showcase, October
2017
122 Conversations, Isumi City Newspaper, November 29American artist Anne Labovitz in Petrozavodsk, Laikka, Petrozavodsk, Russia, MayMeetings Around the Art, Växjöbbladet, Växjö,Sweden, March 10Växjöbor in an interactive world, Smålandsposten, Växjö, Sweden, March 6Radio Gallery: 122 Conversations, KUMD, Duluth, MN, Interview with Meija Jenson, January 3
2015
122 Conversations: Person to Person, Art Beyond Borders, The Walleye, Thunder Bay, OctoberA model of Ambition for Sligo and the Northwest, Irish Times, Sligo,Ireland, June 29

Awards


2020
Artists respond: Combating Social Isolation, Springboard for the Arts, St. Paul, MN
2019
Anne Labovitz Day, April 27, 2019, Proclaimed by Mayor Emily Larson, Duluth, MN
2015
Key to sister Cities of Duluth, Duluth Sister Cities, International, Duluth, MN
2013
Artist of the Year, Duluth Depot Foundation, Duluth, MN

Collections


Walker Art Center’s permeant collection, Minneapolis, MN., Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, MN., Minnesota Museum of American Art, St. Paul, MN., Frederick R Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN., Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, MN., Athenaeum, La Jolla, CA.Studio Camnitzer, Lucca, Italy, City of Växjö, Sweden, Växjö, Sweden, University of Raparin, Rania, Iraqi Kurdistan, Petrozavodsk City Exhibition Hall, Petrozavodsk, Russia, Maurices, Duluth, MN, Baviera International, Stockholm, Sweden., Penang International Printmaking, Penang-Malaysia, Burr and Forman, Birmingham, AL., Piper Jaffray, Fargo, ND., Wells Fargo, Duluth, MN., Spezialarzt fur Innere Medizin FMH, Basil, Switzerland, Duluth Housing Authority, Duluth, MN., Minneapolis Airport Foundation, MN., Redleaf Center for Family Healing, Minneapolis, MN., Madesmart, Madesmart, St. Paul, MN. Ralph & Peggy Burnet, Minneapolis, MN., Lyndel and Blaine King, Minneapolis, MN., Dr. Hugo Steiner, Basel, Switzerland

Residencies


2021
Belgrade Art Residency, online, Belgrade, Serbia
2020-21
Artist In Residence, Art In Motion, Holding Ford, MN
2019
Dungeon Dwellings, USA
2018
Thread, Minneapolis, MN
1998
Sanata Reparta, Florence, Italy
1991
Berkshire School of Contemporary Art, North Adams, MA
1992
Atlantic Center for the Arts, F. Ringgold, New Smyrna Beach, FL
1996
Santa Fe Art Institute, Judith Pfaff, Santa Fe, NM
1997
Camnitzer Studio, Luis Camnitzer, Luca, Italy