Laura J. Lawson

Photo by Kevin Todora

In residence: May - June 2026

Laura J. Lawson (b. 1988, USA) is a transdisciplinary artist whose work connects the humanities to interstellar exploration. She holds a BA from Austin College in Texas and an MFA from the University of Memphis in Tennessee. Her practice spans painting, sculpture, sound, and writing, with a focus on creative inquiry into planetary science and outer space.

Lawson has participated in international residencies, including the Centre d’Art Marnay Art Center in France, and was a founding studio artist at the Cedars Union art incubator in Dallas. Her work has been exhibited in the Vignette Art Fair, New Texas Talent, the Amarillo Museum of Art Biennial, and in international juried exhibitions. She also collaborates with the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston to lead interdisciplinary workshops at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Her TEDx talk at Austin College advocated for better support and standards for creative research.

In 2026, Lawson joins Artica Svalbard as part of her long-term project responding to upcoming space missions to Europa, one of Jupiter’s ice-covered moons. Her residency will support the development of an immersive exhibition inspired by NASA’s Europa Clipper and ESA’s Juice missions, both currently en route to study Europa’s potential to host life.

During her time in Svalbard, Lawson will observe Arctic ice formations, glacial dynamics, and climate-affected landscapes to ground her artistic interpretation of icy planetary environments. Using photography, sound, video, drawing, and field notes, she will assemble a creative archive that informs both an art book and future exhibition exploring the parallels between Earth and Europa.

Her research bridges planetary science and climate awareness, highlighting water ice as both a fragile terrestrial resource and a key ingredient in the search for life beyond Earth.

Instagram: @laurajlawson