A Unique Slant of Light: The Bicentennial History of Art in Louisiana - (Page 207)

book, Why New Orleans Matters, published in the fall of 2005. “It was a diaspora of historic, even biblical proportions; New Orleanians seeped into dozens, hundreds, of communities, like rain into the ground, each with his or her own notions about what would come next, since no one knew, or knows, what the fate of New Orleans itself will be.”36 As Piazza suggested, and as many of us witnessed in those first months after the storm, there were serious and oppressive questions raised regarding the viability, and the actual survival, of New Orleans as a city then. National figures, in the media and in politics, suggested that the city “was not worth saving,” or in other cases that “it should be relocated” to another “safer” location. Meanwhile, population numbers remained low and many residents feared a return to the city after watching the destruction and violence broadcast, seemingly without end, from the disaster zones on the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf coasts. Despite the failures of the federal government in its response to these issues, many regional and national organizations and associations, and countless volunteers, did respond, and did contribute to the recovery, then the rebuilding efforts. Soon after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita passed, in October of 2005, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art reopened its building, as did The Historic New Orleans Collection, while most New Orleans museums, arts institutions, and public facilities were severely damaged and closed, along with schools, universities, hospitals, churches, community centers, and other public institutions, including those that were flooded or destroyed. As the city gradually reopened to its residents, and electrical, water, and other basic utility systems were slowly restored, the Ogden Museum evolved into a community and cultural center, offering a wide range of exhibitions, musical programs, and rebuilding events, reflecting the urgent needs and realities of the larger community extending far beyond traditional museum audiences. On October 27, James Andrews presented the museum’s first post-Katrina musical concert, attracting more than 600 people; on November 19, the museum opened the exhibition, Missing New Orleans, accompanying the book of the same name, published in New Orleans in the weeks after the storm, and more than 1,100 people attended that event. David Rae Morris, who created 20,000 photographs of the Louisiana and Mississippi coastal areas, exhibited a selection of his images in Do You Know What It Means—The Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Photographs by David Rae Morris. The museum also began a series of architectural projects and exhibitions in a broad range of partnerships, in the series titled “Building Solutions.” As a result, reflecting growing momentum, public response, and the support of partners, including the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Ogden Museum presented, in the period from October of 2005 to August of 2007, more than 50 exhibitions, more than 80 musical events (employing over 450 musicians), published three books and four catalogues, and offered dozens of educational and outreach programs, in New Orleans and on the Gulf Coast.37 Not long after this, a new organization, Sculpture for New Orleans, was founded by artists Michael Manjarris and Peter Lundberg, who sought to place major public sculptures around this devastated environment—bringing art, culture, and a sense of civility back to the city. This project, still ongoing, was supported and sponsored by national and regional sculptors, their dealers and collectors, and the Mariposa Arts Foundation in Texas. The first public sculpture unveiling, and the official launch of Sculpture for New Orleans, took place in the plaza of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, with the placement of James Surls’ sculpture, Me, Knife, Diamond and Flower (a piece later purchased by the Helis Foundation and permanently placed in the Ogden Plaza). Other pieces were placed around the city, in locations including Lafayette Square, City Park, Audubon Park, and the Tulane University campus, featuring works by artists such as Louise Bourgeoise, Mark di Suvero, Alexander Calder, Gene Koss, George Tobolowsky, John Henry, Peter Lundberg, and Michael Manjarris.38 Many artists, musicians, performers, and other cultural figures were lost to the city in the massive migration to other cities and states; a number of them never returned. Even more devastating was the initial loss of life in the cultural community, followed by the ongoing decline of critical figures. One of the greatest losses was the death of John Scott, who evacuated to Houston due to health concerns, then, following double lung transplants, he succumbed and died. Others included the death of Elemore Morgan, Jr., the leader of a generation of Louisiana artists, and a major arts advocate for the state. Notably, younger artists began to emerge in this period, replacing those who were lost, bringing new creativity and energy to devastated arts communities. Accompanying this, a series of new galleries and arts organizations opened, including a number in the Bywater and St. Roch areas of New Orleans, such as the Good Children Gallery, the Front, the Antenna Gallery, and the University of New Orleans St. Claude Gallery. Several of these galleries were the subject of an exhibition organized by the Contemporary Art Center in 2012.39 Emerging artists who were active in the city’s and state’s galleries and museums during this period included Brian Guidry, Srdjan Loncar, Stephanie Patton, Jonathan Traviesa, Courtney Egan, Shawn Hall, Dan Tague, Justin Forbes, Troy Dugas, Keith Calhoun, Chandra McCormick, and Louviere + Vanessa. Another arts development of note was the presentation of Prospect.1, which showcased international, national and regional artists in locations across New Orleans in 2008 and 2009, including Louisiana artists Luis Cruz Azaceta, John E. Barnes, Jr., Willie Birch, Skylar Fein, Roy Ferdinand, Jacqueline Humphries, Srdjan Loncar, Deborah Luster, and Shawne Major.40 When a second version of this project was presented as Prospect.2 in 2011, featured Louisiana artists included George Dunbar, Dawn DeDeaux, Dan Tague, Gina Phillips, ART IN CONTEMPORARY LOUISIANA 207  http://www.knowla.org/entry.php?rec=1318 http://www.knowla.org/entry.php?rec=1367 http://www.knowla.org/entry.php?rec=1224 http://www.knowla.org/entry.php?rec=1300 http://www.knowla.org/entry.php?rec=1300 http://www.knowla.org/entry.php?rec=1251 http://www.knowla.org/entry.php?rec=1304 http://www.knowla.org/entry.php?rec=1304

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of A Unique Slant of Light: The Bicentennial History of Art in Louisiana

A Unique Slant of Light: The Bicentennial History of Art in Louisiana

https://www.nxtbook.com/leh/uniqueslant2012/uniqueslant2012
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com