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Kid Camera Project BlogsEntries from April 2006 |
| Group Galleries : Algiers 6th Ward 7th Ward 9th Ward 12th Ward Gert Town New Orleans East ReThink St. Bernard Parish |
| Project Blogs Project News (All Blogs) Project Events Reports From New Orleans Group Blogs 6th Ward 7th Ward 9th Ward 12th Ward Gert Town New Orleans East St. Bernard Parish QuicksearchArchivesCalendarSyndicate This BlogBlog Administration |
Thursday, April 27. 2006The new 7th ward gallery is up.
Please visit the 7th Ward group's new online gallery.
The photographs displayed in this series were taken in the 9th ward, while walking around the neighborhood the 7th ward group lived in until the floods. Working to rebuild their flooded house, the family has temporarily relocated to the 7th ward. However, the plan is to return home as soon as possible.   Photographs taken by Tara.  Tuesday, April 25. 2006Fair Grinds Coffehouse
The New Orleans Kid Camera Project Photography Exhibit
Opening Friday April 28th Fair Grinds Coffehouse 3133 Ponce de Leon New Orleans Stop by on the way to Jazzfest for some ice coffee, and check out the kids work! 
Monday, April 24. 2006New Gallery up for the 6th Ward
Please visit the 6th Ward group's new online gallery.  Photograph taken by Earnest The group has been documenting life in their neighborhood for the past few months. It has been interesting to watch the response from the community, which has moved from slight confusion to engagement and interest. As we sat on a porch in the neighborhood, and shared the photographs taken the week before, there were a number of neighbors walking by who stopped to look at the images, and ask the kids questions about their work. The visitors were impressed by what they saw and surprised that the kids had taken such well-composed and powerful photographs. We have noticed a variety of themes arising from the groups work. One is self-reflection. This can be seen in the recurring self-portraits that explore person and place in post Katrina New Orleans. The kids seem to derive a sense of identity, pride, and ownership from their ward. This feeling of pride for the 6th ward is strong despite the piles of trash that line the streets. The trash is a second theme that stands out in the kids work. The trash has been rotting in piles for months, and the flies and odor are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. During the critique the flies were oppressive, literally everywhere, bringing attention to the public health hazards created by letting food trash sit for months. Of recent concern is a giant sinkhole that takes up the whole street. The busted pipes at the bottom of the hole are what Antoine alludes to when he writes, “It was like the ground split in half.” The huge hole is barely marked, with only yellow tape separating pedestrians and cars from eminent danger of bodily harm. It does not look like there is any plan in the near future for the hole to be fixed, or for trash pickup to start. These images raise questions about the injustice of money allocation for rebuilding New Orleans. Access to resources and civil services differ drastically depending on what area of town citizens live. Many poor, habitable, non-tourist areas of New Orleans are lacking even the most basic services like trash removal and postal service. The children’s photographs show this: in many of their neighborhoods, heaping piles of trash crowd the streets, where as in wealthier parts of town the streets have been cleaned.  Color Photographs taken by Robby Malovic  Curtis in the sinkhole. Photograph taken by Antoine    photographs by Tara  Friday, April 21. 2006THANK YOU
All 17 children were able to mat and frame their photographs for the upcoming exhibit, Katrina Exposed, at the New Orleans Museum of Art, through the generous donations of the following businesses and individuals.
Professional Color Service Carol and Chip Darre processed the prints for the show. www.professionalcolor.com National Art & Hobby www.nationalartandhobby.com Sip www.sipwinenola.com Anton Haardt Gallery www.antonart.com Individual in Ace Hardware Thank you for your support. 
Sunday, April 16. 200612th Ward News
Today was the first day the group shot with SLR (single lens reflex) cameras. We walked around the neighborhood and practiced metering. We have, thanks to generous supporters, been able to move from inexpensive disposable cameras to fully manual professional cameras. Because of this we are able to teach the mechanics of photography. We shot with black and white film while dodging the stinging Buck Moth caterpillars that fall from the Oak trees once a year and reek havoc.  Photo taken by Rose  Rose took a picture of a mural on the side of the CJ Pete Housing Projects. “Please come back” is spray painted on the building. The arrow points towards the mural of the Mardi Gras Indians.  Photograph taken by Rose It was surreal to walk past this mural on Super Sunday, one of the few days of the year that all the Mardi Gras Indian tribes meet. The street was filled with colorful feathers and headresses worn by the Indian chiefs. All the Mardi Gras Indians came out and did a second line down Claiborne to Martin Luther King Blv and down Oretha Castle Haley. There were feathers and headdresses as far as the eye could see, the streets echoing with chants "calling all the people...come on home...New Orleans...calling all the people....to come on home"  Photograph taken by Tara on Super Sunday  Photograph taken by Tara on Super Sunday "The history and culture of the Mardi Gras Indians is a significant part of Mardi Gras and New Orleans -- yet until now, it has been the least appreciated and least understood. Few in the ghetto felt they could ever participate in the typical New Orleans parade. Historically, slavery and racism were at the root of this cultural separation. The black neighborhoods in New Orleans gradually developed their own style of celebrating Mardi Gras. Their "Krewes" are named for imaginary Indian tribes according to the streets of their ward or gang. The Mardi Gras Indians named themselves after native Indians to pay them respect for their assistance in escaping the tyranny of slavery. It was often local Indians who accepted slaves into their society when they made a break for freedom. They have never forgotten this support. Today when two Mardi Gras Indian tribes pass one another, you will see a living theater of art and culture. Each tribe's style and dress is on display...in a friendly but competitive manner, they compare one another's art and craftsmanship. The greeting of the Big Chiefs of two different tribes often starts with a song, chant, ceremonial dance, and threatening challenge to "Humba"--the Big Chief's demand that the other bow and pay respect. The retort is a whoop and equally impressive song and war dance with the reply, "Me no Humba, YOU Humba!" Mardi Gras is no longer a day to "settle scores" among the Mardi Gras Indians. Violence is a relic of the past. It is now Mardi Gras tradition and practice for the Indians to simply compare their tribal song, dance and dress with other tribes as they meet that day. Each Indian has invested thousands of hours and dollars in the creation of his suit, and is not willing to risk ruining it in a fight. This tradition, rich with folk art and history, is now appreciated by museums and historical societies around the world. It is a remarkable and welcome change from the past." taken from www.experienceneworleans.com/ mardigras/mardigrasindians |
