Human | Laurie Beize Gallery

HUMAN Images by Mark Aumann LAURIE BIEZE GALLERY Feb. 10 - Jun. 25, 2023

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HUMAN

Images By Mark Aumann Laurie Bieze Gallery Feb. 10 - Jun. 25, 2023 While traveling, a photographer offered this advice to Mark Aumann, “Make it human.” Aumann captures moments of stunning humanity through a range of emotions by focusing his lens on the peoples of Haiti, Vietnam, Cuba, and Nicaragua. These portraits engage and educate our community about the lives of peoples beyond our borders.

WELCOME Pablo Center at the Confluence welcomes you to our fifth season’s visual arts exhibitions. Whether you are able to view these works in person at Pablo Center, or online through our website’s virtual exhibitions, we know that you will experience a heightened expression of humanity and gain a shared appreciation for the arts. Our annual exhibitions Reflected Light: The plein air art of GO Paint, Confluence of Art Annual, and Fabulous Florals & Fine Art will explore the experiences of living and creating in the Chippewa Valley. We proudly display works that explore the complexities of the human experience in exhibits such as First Nations Contemporary Art Exhibit, Human, and Entertain which delves into the complex experience of being an artist. We turn to the future and spotlight the works of young artists in High School Art Exhibit, and we take inspiration from the lifetime of works of our region’s master creators, artist leaders, and teachers. Pablo Center is your place to discover vital, meaningful works.

LAURIE BIEZE PERMANENT ART COLLECTION There is so much beauty tucked away in our art collection. We are proud to offer you a glimpse into the Laurie Bieze Art Collection. Pablo Center prides itself on its permanent art collection filled with works of art that inspire, educate, and provide insight into the human condition. There are currently over 300 works of art in Pablo Center’s Permanent Art Collection. Named in honor of artist Laurie Bieze, whose personal motto was Shakespeare’s famous words, “To thine own self be true,” we at Pablo Center feel it is our responsibility to take on her legacy, to acquire artwork that not only reflects our community, but enhances the community–artwork that inspires, delights, questions the status quo, takes risks, gives a sense of place, explores human nature, and provokes dialogue; these are the works of art that we seek for our collection.

Pablo Center collects and displays a variety of artistic mediums, styles, prints originals, sculptures, pottery, and some artifacts that bare significance to the arts in the Chippewa Valley.

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This collection is displayed throughout Pablo Center in its travelled hallways, busy classrooms, high-traffic office spaces, and conference rooms. It is used to inspire touring artists by gaining an appreciation of the Chippewa Valley’s natural beauty, history, and current creative culture. We consider all of Pablo Center as a work of art.

The Laurie Bieze Gallery on the second floor serves as exhibition space for themed exhibits pulled from our collection.

Rose Dolan-Neill, Curator

LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT We acknowledge that Pablo Center at the Confluence occupies the sacred and ancestral lands of Indigenous Peoples. We honor the land of the Ojibwe and Dakota Nations.

INCLUSIVITY STATEMENT Pablo Center at the Confluence will not reamin silent when what the community needs is for its local oranizations to represent them. Pablo Center at the Confluence, while listening to and learning from the community, pledges to: • Address structural and historical inequities in the arts.

• Identify and address implicit biases and practices throught the organizational structure of Pablo Center.

• Respond to the events of our time that test relationships within the community through dialogue, educational and artistic programming, and care.

Our first act towards this pledge is the creation of the Committee for Inclusive and Just Engagement and Practices, which is dedicated to the resolution of issues and the creation of opportunities related to social justice.

INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING THE ART? The Laurie Bieze Gallery on the second floor serves as exhibition space for themed exhibits culled from our collection.

Many of the exhibiting artists decided to donate a work of their art to our permanent art collection. In doing so, they gave the gift of their artistic vision, and furthered our mission to provide significant artistic experiences to our community.

Contributions to the Laurie Bieze Permanent Art Collection enrich the art experience for anyone who walks through the doors of Pablo Center.

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GOOD TO KNOW PLEASE KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE FROM ALL ARTWORK AND PEDESTALS Be conscious of backpacks or strollers that may bump into walls, pedestals, or artwork. Do not touch artwork on display unless a label tells you specifically how to interact with the artwork.

SUPERVISE CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES We strongly encourage children viewing the artwork on display. Please instruct children to not touch artwork on display, to not run in the gallery, and to be kind and respectful of other people viewing the artwork by viewing artworks quietly and keeping a safe distance from others. Children must be supervised by their guardian at all times.

PHOTOGRAPHY Pablo Center at the Confluence encourages personal photography of our exhibits and permanent art collection. Please use care both for the artwork and the people viewing it. Please no flash.

SKETCHING Yes, please. You may certainly sketch in our facility. We ask that you use a lapboard or clipboard. Please only use lead or colored pencils. Please do not use the walls or pedestals as supports for sketching.

ARTISTS STATEMENTS & BIOGRAPHIES Statements and biographies are written by the individual artist and are published with their permission. The views expressed are their own. Thank you.

Art Reception Friday, April 7 from 5 - 7 p.m. in Laurie Beize Gallery Reserve tickets at PabloCenter.org

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MARK AUMANN

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

I’ve always considered him my Greek oracle, that travel photographer on the island of Mykonos who sagely told me some 40 years ago the key to powerful photography is to make it human. It took me years, but I finally got what he meant while living in Nicaragua during the US-sponsored Contra war.

The face of suffering and struggle was hard to ignore and became a central focus in my photography. It was time to engage. While my photos are not overtly political, I have tended to focus on subjects who often live in countries that have suffered the consequences of US military and economic imperialism. As North Americans, we are often ignorant about what happens in our name beyond our borders, and it became clear that putting a human face on the abstract was essential to help create a greater global awareness in a geo-political climate where hegemonic propaganda tends to demonize and dehumanize.

Photographing strangers is not easy and requires a personal investment in emotional energy for both the photographer and viewers of the subjects captured. For me, it is a moving experience that allows me to see the beauty, pride, dignity, and will to survive of people beyond our borders. Someone once asked me if I considered myself a religious person. After a moment’s reflection, I responded that I find God in the eyes of the people I photograph.

The images in this exhibit were taken in Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Vietnam.

Market Vendor-Hoi An, Vietnam Digital Photography Women comprise the majority of workers in Vietnam’s informal economy and from their meager earnings provide life sustaining support for their families.

After a long day at the Hoi An fish market this vendor was happy to find a place to rest her head. She still found the energy to generate a warm smile.

Market Vendor in Hoi An Digital Photography Economists call it working poverty, and many women in Vietnam’s informal sector fall into that category. Income inequality and lack of education and labor protections in Vietnam leave many women at the bottom rung of the economic ladder where every dong counts when it comes to supporting their families.

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One Love Digital Photography The Bob Marley song “One Love” is a call for love and unity and to put our differences aside and come together as one. But Haiti, the world’s first independent black nation, may be torn beyond repair by unrelenting poverty and a pernicious political and economic system that further promotes division and violence. Where is the love?

Market Vendor-Elias Pina, Dominican Republic Black & White Photography The border region separating Haiti and the Dominican Republic is a rough and tumble no-man’s land where women market vendors in the informal economy struggle to survive and provide for their families. The DR produces some of the world’s finest tobacco, most of which is set aside for export, leaving lower quality grades for domestic consumption. It is not uncommon to see many women smoking pipes and cigars.

Rama Indian Father & Son, Bluefields, Nicaragua Digital Photograph 2009

With little hope of attaining an education and economic opportunity that will lead to what we in the US would consider gainful employment, many young boys on Nicaragua’s remote Atlantic Coast follow in the footsteps of their fathers and become subsistence fishermen or farmers earning barely enough to feed their families and put a roof overhead. Climate change is negatively impacting this traditional way of life.

Porch Gathering-Corn Island, Nicaragura Digital Photography 2010

Group photos of kids, while usually a joyful moment, can sometimes be a challenge getting everyone in sync. Open eyes is probably the biggest challenge. While somewhat unsmiling, the eyes of the two smallest kids on this porch sparkle in unison.

Reunion-Hoa Lu, Vietnam Digital Photography 2008

Many of the Vietnamese in this group portrait were children during the Vietnam War. Some are old enough to have fought against the Americans in that tragic war. One of them seemed to be a revered military figure. They were all gathered for some sort of reunion and as an American pointing a camera at them I could only imagine what they were thinking and the stories they could have shared.

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Young Sandinista-Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua Digital Photography 1989

In many cultures, children are often deployed during political campaigns.

In the US, think of candidates kissing babies or kids waving flags during campaign rallies. In Nicaragua, this young Miskito girl in the remote Rio Coco region near the Honduran border was part of a dance company performing on behalf of President Daniel Ortega’s re-election campaign in 1990. Once a leader of the Sandinista revolution, Ortega lost that election, but today he is back in power and is considered by many to be Nicaragua’s new dictator.

Sidewalk Café-Hanoi, Vietman Digital Photography 2007

Sidewalk cafe culture is omnipresent in Vietnam and can range from a hodgepodge of tiny plastic chairs on the pavement to elegant European style cafes in Hanoi’s French Quarter. All are popular venues where Vietnamese gather to socialize and stay connected. Anthony Bourdain was also a huge fan of Vietnam’s street cafe culture.

Rama Indian Woman, Bluefields, Nicaragua Digital Photography Life expectancy in the developing world can vary depending on circumstances. In Nicaragua, over the past decades the adult population has been decimated by war, the high toll of grinding poverty and more recently COVID. This Rama Indian woman and her husband in Bluefields both beat the odds and lived well into their 70s.

Rush Hour in Hanoi Digital Photography The streets of Hanoi are a sensory riot of noise and movement where young and old appear to navigate together in harmony as a single organism.

Somehow there seems to be order in the chaos of this synergistic ballet.

When crossing the street, probably the best thing to do is put your head down and just walk and avoid eye contact and become one with the moving life form.

Waiting for Aristide, Port-au-Prince, Haiti Digital Photography Haiti has been a failed state for as long as memory serves. Today, with no functioning government, gangs and chaos rule the streets. For many of the poorest of the poor, former Catholic priest and President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was a source of hope. Many still see Aristide as a savior for Haiti and are calling on him to return to political power.

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Irrepressible, Port-au-Prince Digital Photography The resiliency of children in the wake of catastrophic trauma has always amazed me. The 2010 earthquake that laid to waste Port-au-Prince killed hundreds of thousands and left millions homeless. Children count as some of the most impacted in this disaster, many living as internal refugees in makeshift tent cities. It is always heart-warming when I can bring a smile to a kid’s face, if only for a brief moment

Psalm 121, Port-au-Prince Digital Photography For months after returning home from earthquake ravaged Haiti in 2010, I did not realize the uncannily prophetic nature of this blind woman being assisted by a family member. Tap Taps (brightly colored trucks and vans used for public transport in Haiti) are usually adorned with words and images depicting biblical or other exhortations of hope and devotion. In spite of the faith of the Haitian people, Haiti is sadly one of the most godforsaken places on the planet and is plagued by one natural and human-caused disaster after another. And yet hope in a higher power persists. With respect to this image, I will let Psalm 121 speak for itself:

A Song of Ascents.

1. I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?

2. My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

3. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4. indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

5. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6. the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

7. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; 8. the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

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Repose, Port-au-Prince, Haiti Digital Photography The human suffering and carnage caused by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti is something out of your worst nightmare. It all seemed like a set out of a bad Hollywood disaster movie. But the death and destruction was all too real and for the first time in my life I feared that I would not make it home alive. The peaceful expression on this young woman’s face betrays the fact that one of her legs was amputated below the knee. Morphine at work in a makeshift triage tent.

Rama Indian Baby Digital Photography There are at most several thousand Rama Indians still on the planet, most of whom live on Rama Cay, a small island south of Bluefields on Nicaragua’s remote Atlantic Coast. There are maybe 25 to 50 elders who still speak the Rama language, which is on the verge of extinction. This child will likely grow up speaking Spanish and Creole English, legacies of the colonization of Nicaragua by Spain and England.

Timeworn Tapestry Digital Photography Guatemala is one of the most colorful places on the planet, especially when beholding the traditional hand-woven clothing worn by indigenous Maya women. An important reflection of Maya cultural identity, the garments have both symbolic and practical purposes. For me, this Timeworn Tapestry image captures both the natural and cultural beauty of Guatemala and the difficult conditions many indigenous women are forced to endure.

Proud Cuban Digital Photography Few figures in history have inspired the kind of obsessive love/hate range of emotions as Fidel Castro. For many self-exiled Cubans in South Florida, he is the embodiment of pure evil. For many remaining in Cuba, he is still the beloved father of the revolution and champion for the poor and free universal health care and education for all Cubans. Fidel has died, but his legacy lives on as does the US economic embargo on Cuba designed to punish his regime. Ultimately, the Cuban people are the ones who suffer the most.

Young Girl on Porch Digital Photography 2009

The look in this young’s girl’s eyes reflected much wisdom and confidence. I always wonder the future holds for many of the children I photograph. I hope this little girl had a long and happy life.

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Sisters Digital Photography 2009

In small rural communities like the Miskito fishing village of Haulover on Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast, many of the youth often leave for economic opportunities in larger cities. For those who remain, there is a community of extended family that provides support throughout their lives. Sisters forever.

Providence, Port-au-Prince Digital Photography Hamlet on the Water-Ha Long Bay, Vietnam Digital Photography 2007

Why, Lord?-Port-au-Prince, Haiti Digital Photography 2010

Nuns, Cao Dai Temple-Tay Ninh, Vietnam Digital Photography 2007

Cao Dai Temple, Tay Ninh, Vietnam Digital Photography Business as Usual Digital Photography Collage-Hanoi, Vietnam Digital Photography

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LAURIE BIEZE “Fire in the belly“ is that quality of mind which has guided Laurie Bieze, stained glass and multi media artist, from the beginning. She never really wanted to do anything else but create, and that intense dedication to her craft led her on a merry chase as something of a gypsy, until she landed in Eau Claire. After completing her studies at the Colorado Institute of Art, she took various jobs across the US, as well as abroad, doing art for movies, TV and print media, as well as other design work. While she was working at the University in Oregon, her skill as an artist–who could actually draw, loved to sketch, and produce original designs–opened the door to getting involved with designing stained glass windows for other glass artists. Her subsequent study of the art of stained glass processes gave her the confidence to think that she could work for herself and make a living as a stained glass artist in Eau Claire. She began designing for homes, as well as producing windows, doors, sculptures, mobiles, and other spectacular stained glass art for churches, restaurants, CVTC, the IBC, Luther Hospital, and many other clients. One can follow Laurie Bieze’s footsteps as an artist, by traversing the Chippewa Valley from one glistening shimmer of evocative color to another.

She had a studio at Banbury Place for over fourteen years. The ambiance seemed to attract a broad spectrum of creative tenants, who of course come and go, but mutually benefit from the eclectic mix. Laurie Bieze described the energy in downtown Eau Claire as wonderful…”positive and forward thinking.“ Laurie Bieze passed away at the age of 70, on June 22, 2014 after a 3-year battle with breast cancer. Throughout her life and even through cancer, she strived to live her life according to one of her favorite quotes, “To thine own self be true.” Listening to her inner voice, pursuing her love of art, and finding the light in others were values she held dear to her heart.

This content was taken from a November 2011 interview of Laurie Bieze from ChippePedia, an online encyclopedia about Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley and her obituary in Leader Telegram on June 29, 2014.

The Laurie Bieze Gallery and Pablo Center’s Permanent Art Collection are named in her honor.

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HUMAN

IMAGES BY MARK AUMANN 128 Graham Avenue Eau Claire, WI 54701

FREE and open to the public Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. + two hours before events

To purchase a work of art, contact: Rose Dolan-Neill Assistant Director of Artistic Programming rose@pablocenter.org

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