HARD LIVING IN THE BIG EASY: Immigrants & Photography of Post-Katrina Protests 2010 - 2019

HARD LIVING IN THE BIG EASY: Immigrants & Photography of Post-Katrina Protests 2010 – 2019
José Torres-Tama
December 6, 2021 – January 30, 2022
Opening: Saturday, Dec 11, 4:00 pm-8:00 pm
Artist talk at 7:00 pm
Ode to the Immigrant Workers, a spoken word performance at 7:30 pm
Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination required. No more than 7 visitors in the gallery at one time, please.

Virtual Event: Sunday, Dec 12, 5:00 pm-6:00 pm

José Torres-Tama Art Studio

1329 Saint Roch Avenue

New Orleans, LA 70117

Open by appointment only

504-232-2968/jose@torrestama.com

Have a little wine with me, and experience a selection of photo images unlike anything you will see at any of the PhotoNOLA 2021 exhibitions. As an Ecuadorian-born artist, it’s my duty to actually tell the story that nobody else dares to speak in this city. Post-Katrina New Orleans was rebuilt by thousands of Latin American immigrant reconstruction workers, and because many were undocumented, they experienced some of the most brutal oppression that you cannot even imagine.

On September 1, 2005, I escaped on a stolen school bus three days after the levees breached, and I was on the same pirated bus the iconic composer and native son, Allen Toussaint, rode out of the social storm that erupted after the natural tempest. I returned, a month later on October 1, 2005, and actually had to sneak back into the city. There was an absolutely absurd zip code plan for re-entry, and of course, I ignored it. I needed to be back in my adopted home and darling New Orleans, which was in ruins.

Upon my return, I witnessed an amazing sight of hundreds of Latin American workers on rooftops across the city, and like a locust of reconstruction angels, they were laying down hundreds of yards of blue tarp on the many damaged roofs Ms. Bad Thing Katrina left in her wake. Speaking in Spanish, I informally interviewed many in my Marigny neighborhood and in the Quarter.

Later, with their permission, I began filming interviews and photographing the public protests of the Congress of Day Laborers / El Congreso. They organized acts of civil disobedience to expose the many human rights violations taking place, which the local media was generally ignoring. Our Latin people resurrected a city that has been cruel to them. Our hard-working immigrants have rebuilt churches and schools, galleries and museums, universities and colleges, residential homes and official buildings, and even City Hall, located at 1300 Perdido Street. Perdido in Spanish means “lost”, and it’s probably the clearer reason why there is such a lack of profound leadership coming from this address.

Latin American workers have given of their blood, labor, and love to the epic rebirth of this city, but it has been “Hard Living in the Big Easy” for many. For the past few months post-Ida, Latin workers have been repairing roofs and houses, and putting their lives at risk with the absence of scaffolding not provided by the GrinGo contractors who hire them. Why? Because Latin immigrants are the new easily exploitable work force in this capitalist empire. If I’m getting too political for you, it’s because I am not afforded the luxury to make art about nothing. I’m just saying.

Also, on view are some archival prints of my New Orleans Free People of Color series from my Ogden Museum solo show, and new prints of my award-winning Louis Armstrong piece.

Ogden Free People of Color: http://torrestama.com/free-people-of-color.html

Art Store Link: http://torrestama.com/art-store.html

Drop by Saturday, Dec 11 from 4-8pm. Details below.

Ashé y Adelante!

José

Image: José Torres-Tama – NO MORE DEATHS

1329 Saint Roch Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70117

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