Mending the Sky

On view through January 31, 2021RESERVE MUSEUM TICKETS

Stroll among more than 90 works of art in a scenic Louisiana landscape.

Visit the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

Stroll among more than 90 works of art in a scenic Louisiana landscape.

VISITOR INFORMATION

Virtual Visit

NOMA on YouTube

Helen Gillet presents the second in a series of three concerts inspired by the exhibition Mending the Sky.

Curators Mel Buchanan and Nic Aziz joined ceramicist, social activist, poet, and educator Roberto Lugo in a conversation about his commissioned work for NOMA and other career highlights.

NOMA on Instagram @neworleansmuseumofart

"Hotei (whose name literally means 'cloth bag') is

"Hotei (whose name literally means 'cloth bag') is one of the seven Japanese gods of good fortune. Thought to be based on a 10th-century Chinese monk, Hotei came to be identified with the Buddha of the Future, or Maitreya.⁠
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The stories surrounding him, however, focus on his humanity: a figure who disregarded convention and valued individual freedom; someone who preferred a life roaming the countryside to one within the confines of monastery walls; and enjoyed the company of children, playing games and distributing treats."⁠
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In this weekly series, NOMA partners with @nolanews to present a different work each week from the museum’s collection, with commentary from a curator. Tap the link in our bio to read the full piece from Lisa Rotondo-McCord, Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs/Curator of Asian Art.

"Newly reinstalled at the New Orleans Museum of Ar

"Newly reinstalled at the New Orleans Museum of Art, Georgia O’Keeffe’s 'My Backyard' is as much self-portrait as landscape scene. Hinting at her strong personal identification with the mountains surrounding her Abiquiu, New Mexico, home, the painting slips between traditional landscape and dreamlike abstraction. The painting’s sensuous rolling hills recall the curves of the human body, with the pink and gray folds of paint calling forth the matter of the human mind.⁠
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O’Keeffe frequently painted views from both the front and backyard of her New Mexico ranch. In these paintings, O’Keeffe encourages us to unlock the mysteries of our own backyards and, metaphorically, the secrets buried within our own minds."⁠
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In this weekly series, NOMA partners with @nolanews to present a different work each week from the museum’s collection, with commentary from a curator. Tap the link in our bio to read the full piece from Katie Pfohl, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

𝕄𝕠𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕠𝕗𝕒𝕡𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕏 ℕ𝕆𝕄𝔸 𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣⁠
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Hello everyone! I am so excited to teach tomorrow's free workshop on Astrology, "NOMA Reset: Mending the Sky – An Astrological Perspective"! The current exhibition, "Mending the Sky," explores a Chinese myth about the sky causing the Earth to split open. I was invited to share my perspective on human beings' relationship to the sky, through the lens of Astrology, which has been my love, passion and work for the last decade. ⁠
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A little bit about me: I run a small business called @moonsofaphrodite, wherein I give astrology and tarot readings, make small batch herbal medicine and teach classes on all of the aforementioned things. I am so touched to give this transmission through New Orleans, my last home, beloved city! I grew up on Mohican territory in upstate NY, which is where I am based currently. Here, I dance with the plants and make medicine spring through fall. Now is hibernation time in all the ways! I have been nose-deep in books and tea as of late. ⁠
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Follow along today as I take over NOMA's Instagram Stories, and be sure to tap the link in NOMA's bio to sign up for the workshop! I'm really looking forward to connecting tomorrow! ⁠
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Blessings, Myrto Daskaloudi ⁠
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Photo credit: @Yonatanschechner

"From the genesis of African-based spiritual pract

"From the genesis of African-based spiritual practices such as Vodou and Santería to the creation of soul food and the invention of hip-hop music, the common tie between each of these pieces of history is the idea of remixing. This practice of re-contextualizing existing materials and experiences has been integral to Black expression and survival since the beginning of time.

Whether in regard to his experiences growing up in his father’s church, or extensive reading of Marxist-related works, or his travels to India in 1959 to learn more about nonviolent resistance, the leadership and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was also the product of remixing schools of thought. As we celebrate the legacy of Dr. King, I think this fact is one that is especially pertinent to our current moment in history. I also think of the work and methods of artist Fred Wilson and the ways they affirm the ideals exemplified by the man we honor with an annual holiday, including courage, identity, and social justice.

Fred Wilson is an artist born in the Bronx whose work includes sculpture, painting, photography, collage, printmaking, and installation. He is best known for the conceptual aspects of his practice which examine the art and artifacts contained within traditional museums and the ways that these objects are displayed.

Through the rearrangement of art objects from museum collections, he prompts viewers to consider the fundamentally inequitable and exclusionary foundations of these institutions. These 'interventions,' as he calls them, challenge our assumptions of history, race, and culture, along with the relationships of these constructs to the display practices of museums.

In Wilson’s work 'The Mete of The Muse,' the artist utilizes the concept of juxtaposition to highlight the traditional prioritization of European narratives within museum contexts. In this sculpture, the contrast between an ancient Egyptian female figure and the figure of a Greco-Roman woman creates an easy access point for viewers to ponder issues around the ramifications of race and colonialism."

Tap the link in our bio to read the full essay from Nic Brierre Aziz, Community Engagement Curator

𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒏 𝑳𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑱𝒓. 𝒂𝒕 𝑵𝑶𝑴𝑨⁠
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NOMA will be offering FREE admission during special holiday hours on Monday, January 18, from 10 am to 3 pm. Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by immersing yourself in art and culture. ⁠
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Complimentary family guides exploring the themes of courage and care will be available at the museum. You can also tap the link in our bio to access our Courage and Care Activity Guide online. ⁠
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[Elyn Zimmerman, "Mississippi Meanders," 2019]⁠
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[📷 @scarcello_images]

Inspired by this work by artist Beili Liu (@beilil

Inspired by this work by artist Beili Liu (@beililiu), "Mending the Sky" takes its title from a Chinese fable in which a rip in the sky causes the earth to split open, bringing floods, fires, famine, and disease—until a goddess comes to take on the arduous task of mending the broken sky.⁠
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Liu’s installation "After All/Mending the Sky" features raw silk clouds and dangling needles, representing a sky in the act of repair. ⁠
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"Mending the Sky" is on view at NOMA through January 31. ⁠
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[📷 @beililiu]

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