Surviving The Hurricane: Katrina’s Impact On New Orleans Art

Contemporary Arts Center | New Orleans: Visual Arts: What’s Showing

This is a great exhibit that is currently installed at The Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans. It consists of pieces that were in storm or flood damaged studios along the Gulf Coast. Many of the paintings have been cleaned up to near pre-strom condition, but you can see the subtle effects.

I couldn’t help but draw the parallel to our city and culture. Even though it can get cleaned up and fixed, and pretty much look like it did before, it’s still not really the same.

My favotire piece in the exhibit was a small statue that had been broken into a dozen or so pieces. There was a picture of it, intact before the storm, next to the pieces laid in a pile. It was striking. The same molecules of plaster now held a different shape and a different emotional impact…yet it was the same plaster.

I know the feeling.