Meadows Museum exhibition explores ties between Louisiana and Latin Caribbean
SHREVEPORT, LA — Louisiana is known for its distinctive Creole heritage—evident in its food, architecture, and people—but it is part of an entire family of Latin Caribbean cities that forged new identities from their colonial histories. On February 13, the Meadows Museum of Art will explore these connections with the exhibition "Creole World: Photographs of New Orleans and the Latin Caribbean Sphere," featuring the work of renowned photographer Richard Sexton.
Sexton is a fine art and media photographer whose work has been published and exhibited worldwide. Born in Atlanta and raised in Colquitt, Georgia, his work has been published in Archetype, Harper's, Photographer's Forum and View Camera magazines, as well as many others. Creole World is his 13th book. In 2014, Sexton received the Michael P. Smith Memorial Award for Documentary Photography from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.
Over the course of 38 years (1975–2013), Sexton traveled across Latin America—from Haiti, Colombia, Argentina, Cuba, and Ecuador back home to New Orleans—capturing the architectural and urban similarities among these culturally rich locales. More than 50 of these vibrant images on loan from The Historic New Orleans Collection will be on view through April 23, 2016. The Meadows' exhibition is additionally supported by the Provost and Dean of Centenary College, and will be presented in English and Spanish.
In the accompanying book of the same name, essays by Creole-architecture scholar Jay D. Edwards and photography historian John H. Lawrence set the stage for more than 200 color images by Sexton. Together, the essays and photographs take readers on a fascinating journey across time and place, through the growing Creole world. Every aspect of "Creole World"—from its lively, unpredictable images to its bursts of color and movement—conveys the excitement of discovery in lands both foreign and familiar.
A free opening reception sponsored by the Friends of the Meadows Museum will be held February 13 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sexton will give a gallery talk at 6:00 p.m., followed by a book signing of the lavishly illustrated, hardcover catalogue published by The Historic New Orleans Collection.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the Meadows will host a free lecture by Centenary sociology professor Dr. Loren Demerath on March 2 at 6:30 p.m. entitled "The Good (Social) Life in Lesser Developed Countries," based on his original research.
About The Historic New Orleans Collection
Founded in 1966, The Historic New Orleans Collection is a museum, research center and publisher dedicated to the study and preservation of the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. For more information, visit www.hnoc.org or call (504) 523-4662.
About the Meadows Museum of Art
The Meadows Museum of Art is located on the campus of Centenary College of Louisiana at 2911 Centenary Boulevard in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Museum is free and open to the public Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 12-4 p.m. For more information or to schedule fieldtrips, call the Museum at 318.869.5040 or visit www.centenary.edu/meadows.