Gallery • 4 Photos

Sophia Maxim

This image is a part of the “Call to the Camera: Black American Studio” exhibition at the New Orleans Museum of Art highlighting the contributions of Black American Studio Photographers. On view until Jan. 8, 2023, the exhibition aims to portray a historical and contemporary representation of Black American culture.

As students, from New Orleans or from out of town, we have the chance to explore the art that lives in the city. Created by individuals who rebuild cultural narratives by creating their own, the following exhibitions are an opportunity to learn more about the culture that surrounds the student population. Take advantage of the artistic nature that is available to explore around us. It’s worth it.

Newcomb Art Museum

Some galleries are especially close to us on campus, including Tulane’s Newcomb Art Gallery. Located past Tulane’s Commons dining hall, the gallery sits at the first floor of the Newcomb Art Museum. The current exhibition, “To Survive on This Shore,” is by Jess T. Dugan. Dugan’s works are based around the exploration of identity through photographed portraiture. The gallery walls are filled with photographs relatively two feet by three feet. The room is simplistically set up, allowing the spectators of the exhibit to clearly view each photo. These photos are paired with personal narratives that correspond with those presented in the picture. Dugan gives the subjects of her art the room to tell their life experience as transgender and gender nonconforming indviduals. Each pigment print does a phenomenal job encompassing the subjects’ personalities of each individual. The show will be up until December 10, 2022.

Ogden Museum of Southern Art

If you’re able to travel just a bit further, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is currently exhibiting the “Louisiana Contemporary,” show, presented by The Helis Foundation. The Ogden is located in the Central Business District at 925 Camp St. You can get there by taking the streetcar up St. Charles Avenue and walking at most five minutes to the museum. The exhibit is located on the fifth floor of the museum and unlike those current exhibits at Newcomb or the New Orleans Museum of Art, it features a variety of genres and themes. While it is relevant to Louisiana culture, the artists and their styles vary. Videographer and Loyola alumnus Madison Spinner has a film “Checker Print Kitchen” on display. Laura Welter and Trinity Thomas submitted their paintings “Patterns of our Skin: Stars and Flowers and Loyalty.” Ben Depp presented his photograph “A Life Ring Floats Near a Wrecked Boat After Hurricane Ida.” These sculptures, paintings, and projections of art, each tell the story of local artists and their relationships to the South as their home. This exhibit will be shown through Jan. 8, 2023.

New Orleans Museum of Art

NOMA, located at 1 Collins Diboll Circle in City Park, is currently showing two exhibits in relation to the photography of Black Americans and Black people across the world. One exhibit is named “Call to the Camera: Black American Studio.” This exhibit is a composition of various Black photographers. Austin Hansen, Hooks Brothers Studio, Nolan Marshall, and Morgan and Marvin Smith each have work on display. This exhibition is meant to emphasize the significance of studio photographers in Black American History. The photos showcase the day to day experiences of Black life in the 20th century. These moments in time were captured through the lenses of Black photographers, showcasing the makings of their communities’ culture. Similarly, another exhibition at NOMA pictures the work of Polo Silk, who depicts Black culture in New Orleans. The exhibition, “Picture Man: Portraits,” features images taken in the 1990s. Each photo is taken via Polaroid and is individually framed. There are two large spray-painted pieces and a glass podium on display as well. Both shows in NOMA will be up until Jan. 8, 2023.