An art exhibition at a veterinary school?
July 09, 2026
Why would a veterinary school host an art exhibition? This is something I asked myself more than 20 years ago when I joined the staff at LSU Vet Med. The answer is that there is a link between art and science, and art is a wonderful way for artists to visually express the human-animal bond.
"The greatest scientists are artists as well." — Albert Einstein
"Gentle Keeper," alcohol ink and 24k details, by Claudia Benton, which received the 2025 Animals in Art and People's Choice Awards.
The International Exhibition on Animals in Art began in 1987 and highlights the importance of animals in the lives of people and the planet. It was halted for a couple of years for library renovations and staff changes and again during the COVID pandemic, but after each pause, LSU Vet Med brought the show back to acclaim and appreciation.
No other veterinary school in the U.S. hosts an art exhibition. Not only does it highlight the human-animal bond, as previously mentioned, but it brings people into the veterinary school who might not come to us otherwise. It's also a way for us to provide a cultural experience for the Baton Rouge area while introducing or reminding people of the importance of veterinary medicine.
Entries for the 2026 Animals in Art exhibition are open through July 15.
Over the years, we've seen a number of thought-provoking and beautiful pieces:
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Furn the Furniture Cow, a wood carving by by Seth Peter, Animals in Art 2025 |
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Patterns of Diversity with Woodpeckers, an acrylic collage by Krista Roche, Animals in Art 2016 |
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Angel Light, an acrylic by Akiko Watanabe, Animals in Art 2016 |
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Ruby, an acrylic by Simon Baxter, Animals in Art 2011 |
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Wild and Sweet, an oil by Valerie Aune, Animals in Art 2006 |
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Charlotte, a bronze by Carrie Gantt Quade, Animals in Art 2005 |
"There is an art to science, and science in art; the two are not enemies, but different aspects of the whole." — Isaac Asimov