The new art of New Orleans

After Hurricane Katrina, it’s been more than buildings restored in New Orleans. The city’s arts scene has also come back to life – better than ever!

Written by Michael Turtle

Michael Turtle is the founder of Time Travel Turtle. A journalist for more than 20 years, he's been travelling the world since 2011.

Michael Turtle is the founder of Time Travel Turtle and has been travelling full time for a decade.

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Julia St art galleries, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

I’ve seen it time and time again. When there’s the blackness of disaster and despair, the colour of art always comes to fill the void with brightness. It’s no different here in the US city of New Orleans.

Ten years after Hurricane Katrina struck, the arts scene has come back bigger and better than ever.

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

I get my first taste of it (although it’s more of a ‘banquet’ than a ‘taste’) at the annual White Linen Night event in the traditional art part of the city.

About 20 minutes walk from the edge of the famous French Quarter, this is where artists have displayed their work for decades and now where a new generation of contemporary artists are establishing their base.

There are dozens of galleries spread amongst the blocks here. For the White Linen Night event, they are all open.

The streets are closed to traffic, the crowds are dressed in white, and everyone mingles and wanders, looking at the various exhibitions.

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

Things have come a long way in the decade since much of New Orleans flooded. It’s not just the physical reconstruction of neighbourhoods. There’s also been a shift in the collective sense of community – and what a community should be known for.

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

A couple of days after the White Linen Night event, everything has quietened down in the art district.

It’s a weekday afternoon so there aren’t too many people on the streets. I decide to use this calm to explore the area a little bit myself and pop into some of the galleries.

I’m keen to talk to some of the gallery owners, curious about their opinion on what’s been happening here in New Orleans in recent years.

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

Borislava Callan co-owns the Callan Contemporary gallery on the main street of the art district and she’s happy to have a chat when I wander in.

She is in a perfect position to have seen the development of the creative scene over the past decade.

“We opened the month of Katrina, ten years ago, so we had to close the gallery initially,” she tells me.

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

“It was a very dramatic event but I think overall it has had a very positive impact because it drew the attention of a number of really fabulous sources on the international art scene.”

“More galleries opened and there is a very vibrant art scene of young talents in a totally different area of town.”

So new galleries opened, but what about the attitude of the artists here. I ask Borislava about whether she thinks that has changed.

“It was an event that made people reassess and not take things for granted and really put the effort into creating something new. It was very dramatic but also very creative.”

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

I thank Borislava for her time and wander a little bit further down the street.

It doesn’t take long to get to the next gallery. It never does in this area – they’re all almost next to each other.

At the Octavia Art Gallery, I meet the director Emily Siekkinen.

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

When I start chatting about the changes here, and the attitude of the artists, she points out that it didn’t just change the thoughts of the local artists – but also other US and international artists.

“People outside of the city are really interested to see what’s coming out of New Orleans,” she explains, “which helps our artists a lot and allows for growth in the arts.”

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

With all these people now looking at the city and what was happening during the recovery, many of them suddenly saw the positives of this humid Louisiana swamp city.

“It seems like since Katrina there’s been a large influx of young professionals to the city,” she says.

“I think that includes artists in the visual arts as well as film is really huge in New Orleans at the moment, so a lot of that industry is setting up shop here. Also theatre and music – everything.”

“New Orleans is a very open, creative place that allows for a lot of freedom for artists and I think the quality of life here is very good, the cost of living is not too high and that also helps for creativity and artistic endeavours.”

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

What Emily says rings true with me. I’ve noticed it during my time here and I can even see the changes since I last visited more than four years ago.

Whether it’s the fashion, or the food, or the nightlife – there’s a new creative young feel in parts of New Orleans.

A bit further down the street I find the Arthur Roger Gallery, which is one of the most established galleries in the city.

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

Arthur Roger himself is overseas at the moment but, when I go in, I find Rebecca Rigney there.

She’s been working for about four years and I’m not the first person she’s met who feels like they’ve discovered something new here.

“I think it’s a well known secret,” she says to me.

“Anyone who is familiar with the contemporary arts scene knows that we are in it but we, of course, always see people surprised.”

“I think it is a surprise to people who have a certain idea about New Orleans in the stereotypical sense of what the city is.”

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA
New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

She tells me about how there are several art districts in the city now. There’s this one, around Julia St, which is probably the most established but is always pushing the boundaries with contemporary works.

There’s the more traditional art in the French Quarter with its own unique style.

And now, around St Claude, is some of the edgier and experimental stuff that’s emerging. It’s this diversity that excites Rebecca.

“Now you have established and more traditional with newer scenes, melding and cooperating and feeding off each other.”

New Orleans art scene, Louisiana, USA

Unfortunately I’ve left my trip to Julia St a little too late and now don’t have any time to explore St Claude for myself – but I put it on the list for next time. It seems like there’s too much happening here to see on just one visit.

When I ask Rebecca how she thinks the creative arts will go in New Orleans in the coming years, almost in preparation for the next time I’m here, she has a simple answer.

“Up.”

It’s certainly looking that way at the moment.

THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN NEW ORLEANS

You’ll be able to find some hotels in gorgeous Art Nouveau buildings and there are lots of affordable options in Riga’s historic centre.

BACKPACKER

For a fun backpacker option, there’s India House.

BUDGET

There aren’t a lot of good cheap hotels in New Orleans, but I would suggest French Market Inn.

BOUTIQUE

For a hotel with more style, you can try the wonderful Hotel Peter and Paul.

LUXURY

And the beautiful Maison de la Luz is one of the best luxury hotels in the city!

Time Travel Turtle was supported by the New Orleans CVB but the opinions, over-written descriptions and bad jokes are his own.

7 thoughts on “The new art of New Orleans”

  1. “‘We opened the month of Katrina, ten years ago, so we had to close the gallery initially,’ she tells me.”

    Dang, that is some unfortunate timing if I ever saw it.

    Reply
  2. Terrible journalism. You really have nothing of value to say about anything but your shallow self-serving oportunism is really exposed by your useless offerings about New Orleans.
    Please stay out of this city in the future.

    Reply

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