Before During After Opens at LSM on February 17

Solomon by Frank Relle

Before During After, a collection of extraordinary images illustrating the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the vision and work of 12 Louisiana photographers, opens February 17 at the Louisiana State Museum’s Presbytere on Jackson Square.

Scheduled to run through August 31, the show compliments the Museum’s new $7.5 million permanent exhibition Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond, also at the Presbytere.

“Louisiana’s recovery from the 2005 storms has been marked by a spirit of creativity and resilience,” said Tony Lewis, Louisiana State Museum Curator of Visual Arts. “The artists represented in Before During After saw what happened here, captured it vividly, and were forever changed by the experience.”

Lewis served as co-curator with Diane Barber of DiverseWorks in Houston, where Before During After premiered last September.

Samuel Portera

Selected for the Presbytere show are 38 large-format photographic prints – in both color and black and white – paired with personal artist’s statements documenting changes in subject matter, media and technique before and after the storms.

Participating photographers include Eric Julian, Elizabeth Kleinveld, Rowan Metzner, David Rae Morris, Thomas Neff, Samuel Portera, Frank Relle, Jennifer Shaw, Mark Sindler, Zack Smith, Jonathan Traviesa, and Lori Waselchuk.

The exhibition is accompanied by a 124-page book of the same title (University of New Orleans Press, $24.95) featuring essays and commentary.

Sponsored by Royal Haskoning, the Dutch engineering firm with offices in New Orleans, Before During After opens with a reception Thursday, February 17, at 6:00 PM The event is free and open to the public.

The Presbytere is open daily (except Mondays and major holidays) from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. Admission is $6 for adults, children under 12 free.

Waterline by Lori Waselchuk

Founded in 1906 with a mission to collect, preserve, interpret and present the state’s rich history and diverse cultures, the Louisiana State Museum’s collection totals more than 450,000 artifacts and works of art. These provide an authentic experience of Louisiana to visitors from around the world while enhancing the quality of life for residents. The Museum is an agency of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, headed by Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne.