Prospect 1. New Orleans, LA

December 16, 2008 6:43 PM

Prospect 1. From the New Orleans Museum of Art in the City Park, to the Lower Ninth Ward's multiple installation locations, Prospect 1's curation is tasteful and moving, sometimes heart breaking but mostly promising. An unbelievable concentration of impressive artist's commentary on New Orleans. And it's free to get around (shuttle service available also) if you simply register.

New Orleans, LA. From Early Impressionists to realistic photographers (see Bellocq) , its heavy reputation is deserved. Go see the artistic commentary on the city's soul post-Katrina... Artists include: Sanford Biggers, Julie Mehretu, Deborah Luster, among many, many more. Through January 18th, 2009. Previously mentioned in this thread: A-House-Built-On-Hope. It blew me away.

posted by priested (7 comments total)

Yeah, it really is amazing. I was down for opening weekend and came back feeling better about the art world than I ever have. It's a shame it didn't get more press before it opened, but it's gotten really good reviews from the art press. (I've written about it too, but my piece won't be coming out until after it closes.)

It's up for almost another month. If you care at all about or art or New Orleans, buy yourself a present. Go for a weekend. It will make you happy.
posted by neroli at 7:22 PM on December 16, 2008

I went just last weekend without many expectations and was blown away. We only ran into a couple of other people at the Lower Ninth Ward installations Friday morning - it was a quiet clear morning, no cars, people, dogs - just wind in the high weeds.
Especially moving Battleground Baptist Church

Also wandering around the Charles J Colton School and Universal Furniture was just fun. For a first time visitor, following a map of art installations around a city can't be beat. I would give it three days to see everything.
posted by readery at 8:00 PM on December 16, 2008

As a resident of Louisiana, I'm amazed that this is the first I've ever heard of this. Thank you. I'll have to go see it.
posted by ColdChef at 8:03 PM on December 16, 2008

Dear America,

Prospect 1 is a good excuse to come and see me. Thank you, priested.

I love you, USA, but I wonder if you've forgotten about me. I took a couple of punches but I rolled with them, and I'm still here, albeit a bit bruised. In fact, I have everything you need. That Kanye thing was weird, I'll admit. But hey, he was right, I got fucked over. But look: good food, friendly strangers, fantastic music, and everything that is still worth loving about this country that you are scared of losing. It's all right down I-55 and over on I-10.

I miss you, America. Don't forget about me. I have my issues, granted. I have some crime and the kind of corruption that chicago would envy, and bourbon street. Ignore bourbon street and everything else. Sometimes I get out of control. I am an oddity that maybe doesn't belong on this continent. I am the dangling appendage of America's third world. But I'm not girls gone wild. I'm not a mardi gras bead rainstorm. I am a real city full of real people. I'm not a Disney ride. I am an important part of your country. But I can't convince you of that until you come and see me.

I know the economy is tough. Times are hard. But I will never let you down if you decide to visit. Never. You will become enamored with me if meet me. You'll forget about hard times. You won't want to leave until you write a story about me, even if you're a shitty writer. We have a city full of shitty writers. You should meet gordie.

Look, America, just set a raft on that big old river and when you see the lights and it gets all twisty and most of north america and all of baton rouge are behind you, set ashore. I'm on the left. If you reach the gulf of mexico you went too far. Beer is on me.

Love,

New Orleans

p.s. Rest of the world, you too.
posted by gordie at 10:14 PM on December 16, 2008 [4 favorites]

Another new orleans resident who has somehow missed this. Holy crap, I know what I'm doing this weekend!
posted by bookwo3107 at 6:53 AM on December 17, 2008

Dear New Orleans (and gordie):

I've got my ticket booked and my hotel reserved already, don't worry!

I'm even going to be making a post to the Gray closer to the date seeing who's about -- this New Yorker's birthday is the same day AS Mardi Gras this year, and even though visiting New Orleans on Mardi Gras is a wee bit of a cliche, hell, it's an excuse to make a second trip to a city I love. (I've just been too broke to do so before this point.)

Too bad this will be closed by then, but I was already planning on heading to the museum while I was there, and I'm sure there will be other things to see (turning 39 means that you're old enough to know that yes, there is more to New Orleans than Bourbon Street).

But I'm looking forward to it, and I'll see you in a couple months!

Love,
EmpressCallipygos


(P.S. -- I'm serious: I booked the ticket about 2 months ago.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:35 AM on December 17, 2008

Wow, I wouldn't have known about this either if I hadn't read about it here. Now I need to juggle my schedule so I can check this out..
posted by djeo at 10:45 AM on December 17, 2008