NOLA Art & Whimsy 011 - Endangered Species

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Ohh, the Carousel of Endangered Species. That's fun. It's right at the end of the Boulevard of Broken Dreams. You just ride in circles and sob. Enjoy your day at the Zoo, kids!

Anyone see the duck growing out of the frog's butt?

NOLA Art & Whimsy 009 - S&WB Meter Cap

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I have a great appreciation for any instance where someone takes a moment to consider the way something placed in the public eye will look. I love when a little embellishment is added to something utilitarian, or when a feature is added to a house that is not necessarily required for habitation, but for style or fun. We can argue later as to whether it is attractive or not- as long as someone made an effort, I'm happy. Of course it's more cost-effective to make a plain box for a bedroom. So this is always done with added cost.

Instead of making just a functional metal disc to cover the access hole for the water meters, the New Orleans Sewage & Water Board have included a very nicely-designed logo. Why would a utility company need a professionally designed logo? It's not like they need to lure us to use them instead of a competitor. But it has been rather advantageous for them from a PR standpoint.

New Orleans has a problem with people destroying the cemeteries. It's not just vandals, gangs and looters breaking off ornamentation to sell to antique shops. It is also people making gravestone rubbings. This is the practice of placing a piece of paper over a stone and rubbing chalk or pencil over the stone to get an impression of the stone. This is usually OK, but popular stones that receive many rubbings and old, fragile stones are harmed by this. Luckily, The Association of Gravestone Studies (I'm not making this up) offers a leaflet called: “Grave Rubbing for Beginners.” I mean, I guess that's better than rubbing the locals (if you're a tourist) and vice versa. Or to quote the leaflet: Learn to rub responsibly.

Locals seem to understand and appreciate the errors of grave rubbing (ever more vigilant policing of the cemeteries helps). Many (except the mopey Goth set) have taken to taking rubbings from the S&WB's cover plates. We received one of these as a wedding present from one of our artsy NOLA friends.

Not only that, there is a local industry that makes art based on the S&WB logo. There are trivets, coasters, actual powder-coated, bronzed & enameled plates, jewelry, charms, ceramic wall hangings, T-Shirts (I wear one), Mouse pads, and lots of other stuff. It has better brand recognition than Mickey Mouse in New Orleans. PLEASE check out the Flash animation on it's website. It should not be missed.

With its positive representation of New Orleans Art, not to mention their great customer service and jump to action after Katrina, we can say they have achieved "brand franchise". So much so, the NOLA S&WB is arguably equally at fault for the post-Katrina flooding in the first place but somehow the Army Core of Engineers took the big hit for this. This is also in part because the ACoE is Federal, and thus the Bush administration could somehow be blamed though this is a 60-year-old problem. And a New Orleans corruption problem. But I'll never complain about kicking the Feds in the junk.

So what does all of this branding do? It creates a market.
Now instead of stealing stuff out of the cemeteries, everyone is stealing water meter covers.
It is for this reason that the new water meter access cover placed in front of my house is just a plain old disc with "Water" written on it.

Boo. and No Fun.

Being rather advantageous for them from a PR standpoint ultimately means self-destruction.
No good deed goes unpunished.
But we all knew that.

NOLA Art & Whimsy 008 - Birdhouses

Please click on the image for a larger, more-detailed version.Birdhouse, NOLA Style.

These birdhouses are in the same yard as Doghouse, NOLA style.

But more importantly, the tree with the pink flowers is possibly the largest Crepe Myrtle I've ever seen.

NOLA Art & Whimsy 007 - Devoe Paint

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Nothing says, " We're a grass-roots movement by the soul-of-the-neighborhood and a community coming together to keep a positive message in the face of adversity." like corporate sponsorship.

Notice the tiled inset with the street name, "Freret".

NOLA Art & Whimsy 006 - Stencil Graffiti

Please click on the image for a larger, more-detailed version. I'm sure you've noticed in your town that stencil graffiti has become rather popular. There is master stencil graffiti artist out there who uses the moniker "Banksy". Apparently, when Banksy violates your property rights and besmirches the visual integrity of your building, your property value increases by $35,000 to $170,000!. The work you see above seems far too simple and simple-minded to be a Banksy, but I don't know. You really should check out this gallery.

Banksy's work is usually critical of some societal failure, usually by those who are supposed to be watching out for us. Artists always have to be shocking or fighting the status quo or rebelling against some perceived totalitarianism these days, don't they? Seems it's still shocking to those who wield paint and pens that our governments have failed us. Or maybe they're just bitter that the socialist Utopias they dreamed of and voted for have come around to bite us in the ass (Surprise!). On the third anniversary of Katrina, Banksy (who is from England) paid a visit to New Orleans to comment on the healing thus far.
Banksy has a now somewhat famous quote concerning New Orleans:
"I looked out the window of the taxi on the drive into New Orleans and remarked, "There's still so much devastation, I can't believe they haven't cleaned this mess up,' to which the driver stared at me and said, "This part of the city wasn't affected by the hurricane, it's always looked like this.'" {-Gambit Magazine}

Also unbeknown to Banksy, New Orleans is home to a 52-year-old ex-Marine named Fred Radtke who has taken it upon himself to cover up any graffiti he sees with grey primer. This has earned him the name "Grey Ghost".


WELL, Radke has become somewhat of a large rock thrown with great force into a nest of already-angry bees. Not only did Banksy start targeting Grey Ghost specifically in his art, there was a public outcry against Grey Ghost (at least from the Arts community).

A little presumptuous, Banksy.

A little presumptuous, arts community.

Not only that, people are threatening to sue Grey Ghost for devaluing property (after it is increased by Banksy). Since he is in cahoots with the local Police, Military police have been brought in to deal with him. Some have taken to covering their walls with Plexiglas to protect Banksy's work. Seriously, read it all here.

Talk about being oblivious to drama unfolding within your community, beneath your very eyes. At any rate, Banksy has spawned many wannabes and copy-cats, especially since that kind of money is being mentioned. They're coming to city near you if not already. Hell, I might try this on my own house, if it can get me an extra 10-spot on the resale. I imagine others will do the same. And thus, another art form becomes inbred and devalued.

NOLA Art & Whimsy 005 - Bakfiet

So this chick was tooling around the shops at Jefferson / Magazine in this child-filled contraption. Even in New Orleans, she kind of stood out- all that RED! Not to mention she was wearing some kind of heeled shoes (patent cherry red wedge pumps, Janine remembers). To top it off, the damn dog. To top it off again, the parasol??

So I said, "Hey, can I take a picture of your, um, thing, there?"
She said,"sure" and whipped into this pose like she'd done it 1000 times before (it was nothing special to the kids, either).

I asked her if she made the bike thing. She told me she had lived in Amsterdam where these things are de rigueur. She just brought it with her when she came back.

In crankier moods, I would dismiss her as part of a group of people in New Orleans who want so badly to be eccentrics but usually end up just trying too hard (trust me, there are a lot of them).

But I genuinely think she's just out enjoying herself on a nice day, not necessarily trying to put on a show, but also being cognizant that she is and not minding that at all. She clearly loves the city and embraces the freedom it gives by not really noticing things that would stand out (possibly to deleterious effect) in other cities.

13Jan08: I have learned that the bike thing is called a "Bakfiete"

NOLA Art & Whimsy 004 - Red Tree Ornaments

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This house is not decorated for a festival, parade, or holiday. It's just there for the sake of art and fun.

That or it was decorated for a festival, parade, or holiday and it's just there because no one got around to taking it down. It's too damn hot to have a sense of urgency.

NOLA Art & Whimsy 003 - Z'otz

If a larger version is desired, please click on the image below.This is in a covered "courtyard" sort of thing behind Z'otz coffee house / cyber cafe on Oak street way uptown. Many areas behind bars / shops / coffee houses have areas in the back that are kind of outside but kind of not.

13Jan09:
It finally occurred to me to look at the paper on the wall.
This piece is called "The Twins" and was installed by Don Corbitt. He is also a photographer, please check out his other works.

NOLA Art & Whimsy 002 - Doghouse

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Doghouse, NOLA Style.

NOLA Art & Whimsy 001- Haiku Boards

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Haiku Boards.

On this tree lawn someone has set up an area for passers-by to write Haikus.

It's not like this is near a university, where everyone fancies him or herself so intellectual and / or artsy. This is in a random neighborhood.