LSA Institute for the Humanities

Make sure to check out LSA Magazine's Spring '26 issue, featuring a wonderful profile of Professor Rattanamol Singh Johal's history of art course "Ways of Seeing" by Gina Balibrera.

Early in the winter term, Professor Johal's class paid a visit to Kaloki Nyamai's exhibition 'Tukilile Vaa' in the Institute for the Humanities Gallery, photos from which are featured prominently throughout the article.

Many thanks to Professor Johal for engaging with Nyamai's work and for introducing his art history students to the in-depth, unmediated practice of visual analysis.

Read the full article at the link bio.

IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS

(1) An illustrated graphic featuring a photo of a student examining the back of Kaloki Nyamai's large hanging canvas artwork (Photo illustration by Becky Sehenuk Waite)

(2-3) Two different views of Nyamai's large-scale unstretched painting suspended from the ceiling and draped on the ground in the IH Gallery (Photos by PD Rearick)

Included in Sheida Soleimani's IH Gallery exhibition 'Flyways' are five of her latest screenprints, part of a new and ongoing series (also titled 'Flyways') that diverges from the visual maximalism typically characteristic of her photographic practice.

The new series of screenprints exists within a larger body of work, 'Ghostwriter,' which traces the stories of Soleimani's parents and their experience as political refugees from Iran.

In these screenprints, Soleimani takes a more minimal approach, incorporating only a limited number of elements, such as recreations of her mother's sketches, images from a roll of test film that her mother shot back in Iran, and Soleimani's own c-print snapshots of injured birds during triage at her wildlife rehabilitation center. These works serve as a main focal point of the IH exhibition, visually complementing the dense and enchanting tableaux of the 'Ghostwriter' photographs.

This is the final week to visit Soleimani's exhibition at the Institute for the Humanities. Make sure to stop by the gallery for one last look before the show officially closes at 5pm on Friday!

IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS

(1-3) Individual images of three different Soleimani screenprints, each of which features a blurred background of trees and sky, an embedded close-up photograph of a bird, and a sketched line drawing over top of the composition.

Installation images from Sheida Soleimani's solo exhibition 'Flyways' in the IH Gallery.

Soleimani's work will be on view at the Institute for one more week, through May 1st.

Photos by PD Rearick

Artwork © Sheida Soleimani, Courtesy of Harlan Levey Projects, Brussels

IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS

(1-4) Four straight-on images of the white IH Gallery walls covered with light blue line murals and framed photographs installed at varying heights throughout the space.

(5) An image of the IH Gallery title wall painted light blue and featuring the 'Flyways' exhibition title and curatorial essay printed in dark blue vinyl letters.

(6) An image of the IH Common Room with 5 photographs and 2 screenprints installed at different heights on a long light blue wall. Beneath the framed artworks and against the light blue there is a white line painting depicting a hospital.

Come celebrate Earth Day with us at the Institute for the Humanities!

Join us this afternoon at 4pm for the opening reception of Berlin-based artist Diane Lavoie's pop-up exhibition 'Momentary Landscape,' an installation of three large-scale textile works composed entirely of upcycled fabrics.

The reception will feature an artist talk and Q&A, as well as food and refreshments. See below for full event details.

🎨 'Momentary Landscape' Opening Reception and Artist Talk with Diane Lavoie
📆 April 22, 2026
⏰ 4:00 - 6:00pm
📍 Institute for the Humanities, 202 S. Thayer
🎟️ Free and open to the public

IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS

(1-3) Three different views of Lavoie's large-scale textile artworks suspended in the atrium of South Thayer Building.

Textural detail images from the forthcoming pop-up installation 'Momentary Landscape' by IH artist-in-residence Diane Lavoie.

Join us tomorrow afternoon at 4pm in the atrium of South Thayer Building for an opening reception, artist lecture, and brief Q&A with Diane Lavoie and IH Arts Curator Amanda Krugliak.

Snacks and refreshments will be available throughout the reception.

🎨 'Momentary Landscape' Opening Reception and Artist Talk with Diane Lavoie
📆 April 22, 2026
⏰ 4:00 - 6:00pm
📍 Institute for the Humanities, 202 S. Thayer
🎟️ Free and open to the public

IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS

(1-8) Close-up images of Lavoie's textile collages, featuring various sections of multicolored, upcycled fabrics sewn together.

Love to explore humanities topics and ideas? Apply for the 26-27 internship to turn those conversations into programs and events geared toward undergraduate students!

Interested? Applicants must:
• Be a rising Junior or Senior
• Be available Wednesday evenings from 6-8 PM for weekly group dinner meetings
• Commit 7 hours per week (2 hours for the group meeting + 5 hours in person at the Institute for the Humanities)
• Have a strong interest in the humanities (open to students of all majors)
• Be in residence for the entire academic year (September 2026 – April 2027) (students studying abroad during this period are ineligible)
• Willing to lead one event and attend all other intern-organized events
• Attend and assist at two Institute for the Humanities events per semester (separate from intern-organized events)

Follow the link in our bio or in the comment section for more information, and apply by May 18!

Have any questions? Contact Stephanie Harrell, assistant director, undergraduate education & marketing, at [email protected].

Major congratulations to recent IH artist-in-residence Sheida Soleimani on being named a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow!

If you'd like to see Soleimani's photographs in person, stop by her exhibition 'Flyways,' which is currently on view at the Institute through May 1st.

IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS

(1) A portrait of artist Sheida Soleimani sitting in her studio, an owl perched on her gloved hand.

(2) A text-based graphic that reads "2026 Fellow" in white text inside of a circle of black text that reads "Guggenheim Fellowship," all set against a bright blue background.

Join us this evening at the Michigan Theater for a screening of Shaunak Sen's 2022 documentary 'All That Breathes'!

The film follows two brothers who operate a bird rehabilitation center in New Delhi, dedicating their lives to the protection of the majestic black kite. The screening will conclude with a brief Q&A centered around campus bird safety featuring the Michigan Bird Club.

This event is organized in conjunction with Sheida Soleimani's exhibition 'Flyways,' which is currently on view in the IH Gallery through May 1, 2026.

📽️ "All That Breathes" (2022) Film Screening
⏰ Tuesday, April 14, 2026
⏰ 6:00 - 8:00pm
📍 Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty
🎟️ Free and open to the public

IMAGE DESCRIPTION

(1) The poster for 'All That Breathes' featuring text credits over an image of a man with glasses making direct eye contact with a black kite on a table, framed in a close-up.