Mississippi State University recently held a reception for their exhibition at the Cullis Wade Depot gallery last Thursday called LUSO-American Surrealism of the 21st Century. Numerous artists were involved, including international, national, statewide and local. The exhibition itself is a part of an annual traveling show put together by a group of surrealist artists. Joe MacGown, MSU researcher, entomologist and local artist, is a part of the international group of surrealist artists. MacGown proposed the idea about a year ago of having the next exhibition in Mississippi to both the group and Lori Neuenfeldt, MSU’s gallery director, art teacher, and fellow Starkville art scene friend. Joe said everyone was immediately receptive and soon others joined the planning process.  
 
Surrealism is a form of art that heavily focuses on the potential of subconscious and unconscious and is similar to Romanticism in the fact that it is a movement of its own within the art community that exposes a new age of art, but initially began during the 20th century. However, numerous events have contributed to the continuation of Surrealism into the 21st century, including one from our very own Mississippi State campus. 
 After Neuenfeldt started planning for the show throughout the year prior to last Thursday, numerous media platforms started gravitating toward it and attracting others.  “Mark Wood, owner of local Chalet Arts helped pay for and frame many of the pieces that were in the exhibition, and the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center helped pay for Shahla Rosa’s stay,” MacGown said. Shahla Rosa is another international surrealist artist who is a part of the same international surrealist group as Joe MacGown. Although she is originally from Toronto, Canada, she flew in from her current residence in California to participate in the exhibition at MSU. Matthew Gordon, MSU’s gallery exhibit coordinator, didn’t take part until the work of the contributing artists actually started coming in. “When you have multiple artists with completely different styles, it can be a challenge to make everything look cohesive in a shared space,” said Gordon. Many surrealist artists, including some students at MSU such as Rhandi Watson, Joeseph MacGown, and Gerard Wood, were able to partake in the experience. 
Neuenfeldt said at one point she noticed the visitor sign in sheet was surprisingly filling up. said artist Rhandi Watson. Over 150 people came to view the gallery on the night of the reception. Gordon commented how, 
“It was most definitely a success; anytime you can get anyone to come outside of their normal routines and look at artwork, it’s a success. But, it means even more when you have freezing temperatures and a torrential downpour and still 150 come out.” 
Shahla Rosa said, “This is the most successful surrealist exhibition since we started 3 years ago.” The gallery will be up until Feb. 19.