Prospect 2 Spotlight: The New Orleans Museum of Art

Since 2008, New Orleans has been a prominent participant in the international contemporary art community, thanks to hosting Prospect 1, 1.5, and now Prospect 2. The New Orleans Museum of Art is one of the 40 landmark venues displaying exhibits as part of the city-wide art biennial. The NOMA exhibit is comprised of separate, unrelated projects by three very different artists: Nicole Eisenman, Jennifer Steinkamp, and Bruce Davenport Jr.

The large-scale paintings by Nicole Eisenman, an artist from New York, line the left wall on the main floor and are described as autobiographical pieces containing elements of pop culture and satire. I related immensely to one titled “The break-up-guy,” who appeared to be nervously clutching his iPhone, texting his ex. (How many of us can’t relate to that one?) Eisenman’s work has been featured across the country and the globe, and I found her pieces whimsical and interesting.

At the top of the staircase, there is a projection titled “The Vanquished” by Jennifer Steinkamp, who is a “pioneer of computer-driven abstract animation” from Los Angeles, as explained in the program. The inspiration for the projection was the sculpture that usually sits at the top of the staircase, a Rodin called “Le Vaincu.” Rodin describes the basis of the work as “not posed gestures but actions between movements.” The projection appeared to me as a moving tangle of tree limbs against a cement backdrop; the limbs reflected the seasons as berries grew and then fell, leaves turned orange and were shaken off by the wind, and so on. The whole experience of watching the projection was visually arresting.

My favorite works in the exhibit were the drawings by Bruce Davenport Jr., a New Orleans local. Davenport drew a series of pieces that depict large crowds of tiny people watching a typical Mardi Gras parade. The parades showcase local marching bands, and when looking closely at the drawing, the random thoughts, quotes, and shout-outs scribbled all over the white space are visible. I found this very distracting and odd at first, but I guess you could say it grew on me by the third or fourth drawing I examined. I loved how you could study the crowds of people in the drawings and find them doing all sorts of things: pushing an elderly person in a wheelchair, riding a bike, dancing, clapping, walking a dog.

There are so many things to do in Lakeview and dropping by NOMA to view the exhibit and visit its neighbor, the City Park Sculpture Garden, are two excellent options for art lovers. I also recommend making a day of it to check out Celebration in the Oaks if time permits.

If you gain nothing else from Prospect.2 at NOMA, you will at least leave with some of Bruce Davenport Jr.’s wisdom, my personal favorite of which is: “The harder the crawl, brighter the crown.” That’s the spirit of New Orleans, baby!

The exhibit will run at NOMA until January 29, 2012. Museum hours are available here.

All photos by Mandy Thomas.

Tagged as: Besthoff Sculpture Garden, bruce davenport jr, Celebration in the Oaks, City Park, GoNOLA, jennifer steinkamp, Lakeview, Mandy Thomas Photography, New Orleans, New Orleans Museum of Art, nicole eisenman, Prospect 2, Prospect 2 New Orleans, Things to do in New Orleans