The Rising
May 23, 2015 – September 20, 2015
Opening Reception: Saturday, June 6, 6-8pm
OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART presents The Rising, an exhibition which celebrates the renewal and rebirth of New Orleans ten years after Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst disasters in American history, and examines how art and photography were central to the revitalization of the city.
In both rebuilding the local culture and its rendition to the world the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the first arts institution in New Orleans to open after the storm; the New Orleans Photo Alliance, formed in 2006; and Prospect.1, a city-wide arts exhibition organized in 2008, a collective arts movement fostered a creative outlet that helped the community recover and begin the process of healing. Attracted by the lure of a city often called the most unique in the U.S., young photographers flocked to New Orleans and infused their creativity and vision into a place already known for its incomparable culture.
The Rising will highlight the work of eleven young photographers: David Armentor, Vanessa Centeno, AnnieLaurie Erickson, L. Kasimu Harris, Sophie Lvoff, Tammy Mercure, Christina Molina, Colin Roberson, Jennifer Shaw, Jonathan Traviesa, and William Widmer.
The exhibition will showcase photographers who came to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, as well as photographers who were in the city before the storm. Two of the newcomers include Sophie Lvoff and Tammy Mercure, who both make large color photographs that celebrate the effervescence of New Orleans through the fresh eyes of transplants. Jonathan Traviesa and Jennifer Shaw were photographing New Orleans before the storm; however, the post-Katrina environment has transformed the direction of their work. Traviesa, who previously photographed young bohemians of New Orleans, has refocused his work on the changing demographics of the city by photographing Latino day laborers. Shaw’s work has taken a more personal direction since the storm and now features her growing family.
“The Rising is a celebration of the new and vital photographic community of this city, which has exploded in the ten years since Hurricane Katrina,” said Richard McCabe, Curator of Photography at the Ogden Museum, “The exhibition features young and emerging photographers living and working in New Orleans. Many of these photographers have moved here in the past decade and were drawn to the beauty, culture, and charm of the city. New Orleans shares a long, storied history with photography and The Rising showcases the photographers of the present and future who will continue to make New Orleans an epicenter for creativity in America.”
“I am very excited to be included with this group of photographers,” remarked Tammy Mercure, a photographer featured in The Rising, “New Orleans is a great place to be an artist – there aren’t many rules here, but there is an obligation to your neighbors.”
“One of the silver linings of Katrina has been the strengthening of creative communities in New Orleans through artist-led initiatives and collectives,” explained Jennifer Shaw, an artist featured in The Rising, “It’s exciting to be a photographer here and now, with so many rich opportunities for collaboration and feedback among the many talented artists who reside here.”
About the Ogden
Located in the vibrant Warehouse Arts District of downtown New Orleans, Louisiana, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art holds the largest collection of Southern art and is recognized for its original exhibitions, public events, and educational programs which examine the development of visual art alongside Southern traditions of music, literature, and culinary heritage to provide a comprehensive story of the South. Established in 1999 and in Stephen Goldring Hall since 2003, the Museum welcomes over 50,000 visitors annually, and attracts diverse audiences through its broad range of programming including exhibitions, lectures, film screenings, and concerts which are all part of its mission to broaden the knowledge, understanding, interpretation, and appreciation of the visual arts and culture of the American South.
The Ogden Museum is open Wednesday through Monday from 10AM-5PM and also on Thursdays from 6-8PM for Ogden After Hours. Admission is free to Museum Members and $12.50 for adults, $10 to seniors 65 and older, $6.25 for children ages 5-17 and free for children under 5. The Ogden Museum is free to Louisiana Residents on Thursdays from 10AM-5PM courtesy of The Helis Foundation.
The Museum is located at 925 Camp Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130.
