2012; edition of 8
collaboration with Gwen Diehn
Faubourg nan Main Bon Dieu references the Bayou St John neighborhood of New Orleans. There was a time when, unbeknownst to each other, the artists were both living in this area. Experiencing it in entirely different ways due to age, lifestyle and geographic heritage they met decades later to find inspiration in this common ground.
The covers are bookboard painted with milk paint, distressed and waxed. The book pages are woodcut prints on handmade willow paper, hand-colored and bound in a circular accordion fold that pulls out to stand alone. Closed, the folded accordion is set inside a gate fold which is secured with bone.
Wandering and walking – the exterior: New Orleans’ Bayou St John and the adjacent higher ground of Esplanade Ridge have been well-travelled paths for commerce and leisure throughout history. Indians once used the bayou for travel and later, local slaves took their forbidden voudou rituals out to the bayou and the surrounding woods. As Europeans populated the city, churches and schools took root in the neighborhood and the rituals and icons of modern culture took their place along these paths.
Lighting a candle – the interior: The prominence of Catholicism affects everyday life in New Orleans for all residents. Voudou rituals while less visible remain influential with roots tracing back to early Africans brought in as slaves. Naturally these early groups overlapped and their revered saints and spirits as well as ceremonies honoring life’s events reflect this shared space. The unique geographic history and cultural integration are to this day a part of the culture of New Orleans and influence many holidays and celebrations.