Lowe is an artist and activist whose numerous collaborative projects are undertaken in the spirit and tradition of “social sculpture,” working closely with individuals and communities to explore concerns around equity and justice through art. Through such undertakings, he co-founded Project Row Houses in Houston’s Third Ward, a historically significant and culturally charged African American neighborhood. Conceived in collaboration with other artists, neighbors and creative thinkers, Project Row Houses transformed a small area of derelict shotgun houses into a vibrant cultural district. To this day, almost 30 years in, the project continues to unite groups and pool resources, manifesting sustainable opportunities for artists, young mothers, small businesses, and local residents. Rick has applied his innovative approach to community development through art to projects around the world.
Lowe’s art projects include Project Row Houses, Houston, Texas (1993–2018); Watts House Project, Los Angeles, California (1996–2012); Borough Project (with Suzanne Lacy and Mary Jane Jacob), Charleston, South Carolina (2003); Small Business/Big Change, Anyang Public Art Program, Anyang, South Korea (2010); Trans.lation, Vickery Meadow, part of Nasher XChange, Dallas, Texas (2013); Victoria Square Project, Athens, Greece (2017–18); Greenwood Art Project, Tulsa, Oklahoma (2018–21); and Black Wall Street Journey, Chicago, Illinois (2021–ongoing).
Lowe has been recognized with the MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellowship (2014), the Heinz Award in the arts and humanities (2002), the Creative Time Annenberg Prize for Art and Social Change (2010), and was appointed by President Barack Obama to the National Council on the Arts (2013). He is currently a professor of interdisciplinary practice at the University of Houston and is represented by Gagosian Gallery worldwide.
As the 2024 Austin College Posey Leader-In-Residence, Lowe has offered four student sessions throughout the year to engage with students on different aspects of his work. These four sessions connected Lowe’s personal and professional experiences to topics of community engagement, public health, social justice and equity, and servant leadership.
ABOUT POSEY LEADERSHP AWARD
Formally launched in 2005 and made possible through the generosity of Sally and Lee Posey of Dallas, the Austin College Posey Leadership Award honors an outstanding individual who has demonstrated the principles of servant leadership by taking a courageous stand on a public policy issue that advances a humanitarian or educational purpose; or serving the youth of a state, nation, or international community to improve the quality of health, educational, or community services; or by creating opportunities for young people that help them enhance their educational experience and move to a new level of service to society. Past Posey Leadership Award recipients include Sylvia Acevedo in 2023, Barbara Pierce Bush in 2018, Dr. Nathan Wolfe in 2014, and Wendy Kopp in 2006.
ABOUT AUSTIN COLLEGE
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.
