Honoring: Ron Bechet, Dr. V. Joy Simmons, Arthur Roger, Krista Thompson, Nari Ward

Join us at The Sugar Mill to toast the opening of Prospect.6: The Future Is Present, The Harbinger Is Home, with live performances and food from the city’s top chefs. This evening celebrates the P.6 Gala Honorees: Ron Bechet, Dr. V. Joy Simmons, Arthur Roger, Krista Thompson, and Nari Ward. These Honorees have made important contributions to Prospect and New Orleans’ contemporary art community. The P.6 Gala is our sole fundraising event during the three-year exhibition cycle.

Event Schedule:

Patron Hour: 6–7 PM
Prospect.6 Gala: 7–10 PM

Honorees

Ron Bechet, a native of New Orleans, is celebrated for his intimate large-scale drawings and paintings that explore the human experience and cultural practices of the African diaspora and New Orleans' African-American culture. He is also the Victor H. Labat Professor of Art at Xavier University of Louisiana, with a career spanning over twenty years.

Dr. V. Joy Simmons is a renowned art collector and philanthropist who has been a vital supporter of artists of African descent. She mentors future art collectors and has played a significant role in shaping Los Angeles’s cultural landscape. Dr. Simmons has been a long-time supporter of Prospect since its inception.

Arthur Roger, the owner and director of the Arthur Roger Gallery, has been a cornerstone in the New Orleans art scene for over 45 years. His gallery has national recognition, and he has significantly contributed to the renewal of the visual arts in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina. Arthur has received numerous awards for his philanthropic efforts.

Krista Thompson is the Mary Jane Crowe Professor of Art History at Northwestern University. Her work focuses on the modern and contemporary art of the African diaspora and the Caribbean. She is an acclaimed author and has received numerous grants and fellowships.

Nari Ward is known for his sculptural installations using discarded materials, addressing social and political issues surrounding race, poverty, and consumer culture. His work is part of major international collections, and he has exhibited in prominent institutions worldwide.

Prospect Artists of Public Memory, stewards of the Nanih Bvlbancha, and the New Orleans Public Library invite you to Making the Mound: Indigenous History and Ancient Terraforming. Director of the Center of Native American Indian Research and Studies at the University of Southern Mississippi Dr. Tammy Greer, and fellow Houma Nation tribal member and wild medicine garden keeper, Monique Verdin, an interdisciplinary artist, writer and researcher will share histories of mound building and Indigenous architecture in the Gulf South region and beyond, as well as the various purposes of Native American mounds in this country. Participants will also have an immersive experience with forming mini-mounds with clay and other materials. Come learn what all that means, how to say Nanih Bvlbancha, and get a little dirty with us. We will also be making some seed bombs to prepare for the upcoming planting event at the Nanih tomorrow, Sunday September 22.

This event serves as a prelude to Making the Medicine: Medicine Wheel Garden Planting at Nanih Bvlbancha on Sunday, September 22, 2024. Nanih Bvlbancha is an Indigenous earthwork supported by Prospect’s Artists of Public Memory Commission, community organizing and outreach, the New Orleans Recreation Department Commission, and Friends of Lafitte Greenway. The design for the project was assembled by the following Indigenous scholars, multimedia artists and activists: Dr. Tammy Greer, Ida Aronson, Monique Verdin, Jenna Mae, and Ozone 504.

Please register to help us plan for supplies. 

Learn more about the project at NanihBvlbancha.net or on Instagram @NanihBvlbancha. Both Mini Mound Making and Making the Medicine are free and open to the public.

Mini Mound Making is sponsored by The Friends of the New Orleans Public Library. 

On Saturday, June 11, 2022, 10am - 3pm, Prospect New Orleans, IWES, Teen Art Salon, and the CAC will host the first ever Young Artists Exchange: a day for young artists to gain resources, technical skills, and wisdom about pursuing a creative career, and life, in New Orleans and beyond. 

The Exchange will feature workshops facilitated by the Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies, Teen Art Salon, and a team of artist mentors comprised of New Orleans-based contemporary artists. 

The Young Artists Exchange is FREE and open to artists/creatives/designers/makers ages 16-21. Click here to register!

If you have any questions about the Young Artist Exchange and/or you are interested in volunteering, mentoring a creative skills workshop, or being a presenting sponsor, please contact Taylor Holloway, Manager of Programs and Audience Engagement: taylor@prospectnewoleans.org.

Announcing the first Prospectors Club event of the P.6 triennial cycle!

The Prospectors Club is a group of advocates and ambassadors for Prospect New Orleans. Members have access to exclusive events leading up to and throughout P.6, including yearly gatherings at the homes of collectors, studio visits with local artists, curator-led tours of the P.6 exhibition, and much more.

Register TODAY and join us on Wednesday, June 8, for a special gathering of current and previous Prospectors, as well as an exciting opportunity to meet the soon-to-be-announced Susan Brennan Artistic Director of P.6!