In Her America
2020
Lupa
2018
Palmera
2016
Nesting, 2016
Founders Hall Gallery
University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc
Nesting is an exhibit of photographs taken by LaBonte of Lindemann and her son Oliver in their home in Cleveland, WI. The images emphasize patterns, colors and light while documenting, from an outsider’s perspective, the everyday interactions between mother and child. LaBonte’s intimate series of mother and son is accompanied by Lindemann’s poetry.
“The poems in this series mediate on the way a new mother and son interact in the space of their home. Some of the poems respond directly to Erin’s photos; others are more grounded in the very intense, emotionally powerful experiences of early motherhood,” Lindemann said.
A collaboration with Emilie Lindemann
Chameleon, 2014
Rahr-West Art Museum
Manitowoc, WI
“Chameleon” is a recent body of work created by LaBonte while traveling Mexico with her friend and collaborator, Ellen Dizzia. Leaving the cultural hub of Mexico City, the travelers stopped in the small colonial city of San Miguel De Allende. San Miguel de Allende is known for its artistic culture and art institutes. However, in recent years much of this very culture had disappeared, leaving the city’s creative institutes abandoned. Without a lot of art to see or experience and two days before catching their next bus to Pacific coast surf town, Sayulita, LaBonte and Dizzia decided to make their own art. The two were inspired by the country’s colorful walls and murals and a conversation developed about LaBonte painting Dizzia onto those very walls. It was when the conversation turned into doing, that “Chameleon” became art. LaBonte painted Dizzia onto four walls in San Miguel de Allende and four walls in Sayulita. Tourists and locals, including the local police became active participants in the performance of painting. LaBonte states, “The beauty of this work is its intuitiveness. By creating art in unexpected places we started a lot of conversations and met a lot of new people. The experience of creating the work was as rewarding as the final product.”