Nola 'Fridge Art

This past weekend, I visited the city of New Orleans.  I had no expectations of the city when I landed, but found myself overwhelmed with the street art that seemed to wallpaper the entire city.  The street art told the rich culture of New Orleans: a laid-back, pleasure seeking, jazz and alcohol fueled attitude combined with a respectful consideration for its history and its neighbors.

While there, the entire city rained.  No, it poured, rather.  Within an hour, the streets filled with feet long puddles and inches-deep rainwater.  It was then that the reality of Katrina really sunk in.  My camera broke not even mid-way into the trip (it took a small nosedive of 4 inches from the top of a napkin holder to the table and immediately ceased to turn-on) so none of these photos are my own.  But, nonetheless, I am inspired to share the significance I felt for the city's street art.

Below is one of the six 2008 Banksy New Orleans graffiti honoring Katrina.

I really loved this one because it told the story of the Katrina refrigerators.  In the aftermaths of Katrina, many Nola residences came home to decomposing food in their refrigerators.  Now considered a toxic waste, home fridge owners taped up their fridges and left them on the sidewalks for pick up.  However, clean-up of the city happened slowly and many fridges sat on the sidewalks for weeks until its eventual disposal.  Meanwhile, Nola residences began drawing artworks on their refrigerators with themes ranging from serious political criticism to the humorous ("Do not open until Mardi Gras", "Free Meal Inside", "For Sale").

Here are some photos of the local 'fridge art:

 

Halloween themed set

I love the optimism depicted in the fridge art seen in New Orleans then (2005).

It's a great showing of the resilient and passionate spirit of Nola and something that I very much felt during my short and rainy visit to the city.