The Aviary Art Show : 1 : Nola Vanitas Unveiled

View Full

This is the first in a series of original oil paintings of wild birds to be included in The Aviary Art Show by wildlife artist Victoria A. John. The oil painting of a tree swallow is framed by the sculpture of a window.



In August of 2005, a massive hurricane called Katrina devastated parts of the southern part of the United States known as the Gulf Coast. The storm destroyed entire communities in Louisiana and Mississippi, and while the world-famous city of New Orleans was largely spared, levee failures resulted in one of the most devastating events of our time. It was during this event and in it's aftermath, that the cries of the people of New Orleans were heard around the world. This was my city, my home, and my people, and my heart broke with them.



In the suburban areas around New Orleans, where many of us had fled years before in search of better schools, lower crime and a cleaner environment we were without electricity and largely unable to obtain even the most basic necessities. Telephone lines were down; as were cell towers. In this void, only those with satellite access were able to see what the rest of the world was seeing on their televisions and computers. For those of us without these resources there were live radio broadcasts of frantic callers from inside the city, screaming, crying and begging for help that, in many cases, was too late in arriving.




As an artist, I found that the oil painting alone couldn't express all that I felt or thought about the event. By placing the painting into a frame that is also a sculpture I was able to arrive at a more complete artistic expression. The title of this artwork is a combination of Nola; which is a common reference to New Orleans, and Vanitas, a reference to emptiness. The No La also refers to New Orleans, Louisiana and the absence of la, or the "song" of the people of New Orleans that is the treasure that made New Orleans such an extraordinary experience, and more than any place or city could ever be.




As a hub city for the coastal area surrounding it, New Orleans had more than it's own unique history of Spanish, French and American rule; it also had the flavors and cultures of people from around the world, nestled in the swamps and bayous of it's original inhabitants. Sharing their love of food, music, celebration, and all kinds of multi-cultural contributions, this city of small businesses, front porches, parade routes and so much more, had arrived in that moment to a point of complete emptiness, empty of joy, empty of dance and empty of song.



More about New Orleans





Nola Vanitas Unveiled: Part 1 of the online version of The Aviary Art Show, copyright 2008, Victoria John (Ritterbush). You can view more work by this artist at Artinua.Org.


Powered by Sun & Wind