NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana Contemporary, Presented by The Helis Foundation, the annual juried exhibition at Ogden Museum of Southern Art (Museum), will close on Sunday, February 7. The exhibition features 56 contemporary artists from across the state whose works were selected by guest juror René Morales, Director of Curatorial Affairs and Chief Curator at Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). To celebrate the conclusion of the exhibition, the Museum has announced a series of events closing weekend, including a virtual tour of the exhibition, an online panel discussion, and a free admission day on February 7.
“We are continuously inspired by the vision and innovation of the selected artists, whose work engages with both formal and conceptual dialogues within contemporary practice, as well as with many of the most pressing social, cultural and political issues of our time,” says William Pittman Andrews, Executive Director of Ogden Museum of Art. “We look forward to celebrating these 56 outstanding Louisiana artists one last time before the conclusion of 2020’s Louisiana Contemporary.”
The schedule of events includes:
Virtual Tour led by René Morales (February 6 at 12 p.m. CT)
The virtual tour, led by Juror René Morales, will be available through the Museum’s website, as well as video library, exhibition page and O Blog, on Saturday, February 6.
Live panel with Louisiana Contemporary artists and jurors (February 6 at 2 p.m. CT)
Join the Museum online for a live panel discussion about Louisiana Contemporary, Presented by The Helis Foundation, on Saturday, February 6 moderated by Executive Director William Pittman Andrews.
Panelists include the following jurors and artists:
René Morales, 2020 Juror, Director of Curatorial Affairs and Chief Curator at Pérez Art Museum Miami
David Breslin, 2019 Juror, Director of Curatorial Initiatives at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York
Wendo Brunoir, The Helis Foundation Art Prize for Best in Show, 2020
Nic Brierre Aziz, First Place, 2020
Ann Perich, Third Place, 2020
To join the live panel, guests must register in advance to receive a link to attend on Zoom.
Free Admission Day, courtesy of The Helis Foundation (February 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.)
Guests can enjoy free admission, courtesy of The Helis Foundation, on Sunday, February 7 by reserving a time for their visit in advance of arrival at www.ogdenmuseum.org. Museum capacity has been reduced to 50% to comply with city and state guidelines, and mask and social distancing are required.
Additionally, the free admission day will feature a digital scavenger hunt, music by DJ Heelturn, and personalized poetry by Cubs the Poet for Museum guests. The family-friendly digital scavenger hunt is inspired by Louisiana Contemporary, Presented by The Helis Foundation, and each completed form will be entered for a chance to win prizes, including a family membership (a $125 value). La Cocinita Food Truck will be parked in front of the Museum.
About Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Located in the vibrant Warehouse Arts District of downtown New Orleans, Louisiana since 1999, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art welcomes visitors to experience and learn about the artists and art movements of the American South. It is home to a collection of more than four thousand works, making it the largest and most comprehensive repository dedicated to Southern art in the nation, with particular strength in the genres of Self-Taught art, Regionalism, photography and contemporary art. The Museum is further recognized for its original exhibitions, public events and educational programs, which examine the development of visual art alongside Southern traditions of music, literature and local craft. Museum admission is free on Thursdays for Louisiana residents, courtesy of The Helis Foundation. The Museum is located at 925 Camp Street, New Orleans Louisiana 70130. For more information, visit www.ogdenmuseum.org.
About The Helis Foundation
The Helis Foundation is a Louisiana private foundation, established and funded by the William Helis Family. The Helis Foundation’s resources and objectives are divided into two areas: the general fund, and the Diana Helis Henry and Adrienne Helis Malvin Art Funds. The general fund focuses on community needs primarily within the Metropolitan New Orleans area by granting funds to numerous local nonprofit organizations.
The Art Funds were established by bequests from Diana Helis Henry and Adrienne Helis Malvin and were funded exclusively by their personal resources upon their deaths. The Art Funds make grants to sustain operations, to provide free admission to, and to acquire significant art works on behalf of major institutions within the Metropolitan New Orleans area. The Art Funds also underwrite major initiatives and special projects, such as Prospect.3’s Basquiat and the Bayou presented by The Helis Foundation, the ongoing Poydras Corridor Sculpture Exhibition presented by The Helis Foundation, the installation of Lynda Benglis’ The Wave of the World in City Park, The Helis Foundation Enrique Alférez Sculpture Garden, Solidary & Solitary: The Joyner/Giuffrida Collection presented by The Helis Foundation organized by Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the Baltimore Museum of Art, and The Historic New Orleans Collection’s Tricentennial Exhibition, Art of the City: Post Modern to Post Katrina.
In 2019, the Foundation launched the first large-scale mural exhibit: Unframed presented by The Helis Foundation, a collection of seven murals in Downtown New Orleans. In partnership with the Arts Council New Orleans, Unframed features the first Southern U.S. commission by internationally-acclaimed artist Fujiko Nakaya at the Louisiana Children’s Museum. Most recently, The Helis Foundation served as the presenting sponsor for Ogden Museum’s exhibition, Melvin Edwards: Crossroads presented by The Helis Foundation and Contemporary Arts Center’s exhibition, Mickalene Thomas: Femmes Noires.