Beadecked: Mardi Gras (Group Show)

For February 2020, the Gallery is showing a variety of Mardi Gras paintings to mark the crazy and creative season of fun in the city. BEADecked is a group show. Some of our artists belong to Carnival Clubs and Marching Groups, so there is a true sense of “being there” captured in the art. For one, Linda Lesperance says that Carnival has as many meanings as there are people who participate. Whether seen from the top of a float or from the neutral ground, or celebrated at a lavish ball, Mardi Gras is an important aspect of our New Orleans heritage and one of the reasons our city is so unique and special. A person can watch the same parade at Napoleon Avenue, on Jackson Avenue or Canal Street and it would not be the same experience. A 4th generation New Orleanian who is a member of Rex does not see Carnival in the same way as a Bourbon Street tourist.

As a counterpoint to the city celebration is the rural Courir de Mardi Gras, held in many Cajun communities of South Louisiana. Although the roots of the celebration can be traced to medieval times, its modern revival dates to the 1960’s when the Cajun Renaissance embraced local culture, food, music and language. On Fat Tuesday in the early morning, the riders or runners gather to receive instructions from the leader, Le Capitaine. He usually rides on horseback, wears a cape and carries a small flag. Others dress in colorful fringed motley with masks often made of decorated wire screening. After he organizes the troop, the bands begin to play and he leads them on the route. Traditions vary in each town. Some towns have people on horseback, some on trailers and some on foot. The Capitaine is the first to approach the houses along the route, to ask permission to enter onto their property. The revelers play a variety of pranks on the farmers and beg for food for the communal gumbo that lies at the end of the route. The prize ingredient is a live chicken, which is usually thrown into the air for the drunken troop to chase through the muddy yards and fields.  Lafayette’s Herb Roe is the guest artist for this exhibition, lending his amazing Courir de Mardi Gras paintings for February.

Participating Artists:  Camille Barnes, William B. Crowell,  Larry “Kip” Hayes, Diego Larguia, Linda Lesperance, Elizabeth McMIllan, Anne Michael Pappas, Stephanie Reed, Don Reggio, Herb Roe, Carol Scott