Arts New Orleans and Prospect New Orleans Unveil Permanent Installation of Prospect.5 commission It was my pleasure by Anastasia Pelias

Anastasia Pelias, It was my pleasure, 2021. Fiberglass, polyester resin, steel, concrete, pine bark, bay leaf, water-based paint, soundscape, scent, dimensions variable.  Opening Week: Prospect.5: Yesterday we said tomorrow, 2021–22. Capdevielle Place Park, New Orleans. Courtesy Prospect New Orleans. Photo: Jose Cotto.

Arts New Orleans and Prospect New Orleans Unveil Permanent Installation of Prospect.5 commission It was my pleasure by Anastasia Pelias

New Orleans, LA – Arts New Orleans and Prospect New Orleans are thrilled to announce the permanent installation of It was my pleasure by Anastasia Pelias. The sculptural installation was initially commissioned in 2021 for Prospect.5: Yesterday we said tomorrow. This significant artwork is now a part of the City of New Orleans' esteemed Percent for Art collection and is permanently located at St. John Park, on Saint Bernard Ave and Allen Toussaint Blvd, between New York St and Frankfort St. The public unveiling of It was my pleasure will take place on Saturday, April 13, 2024 from 2pm - 5pm.

Anastasia Pelias, a multidisciplinary New Orleans artist, creates site-specific installations that delve into personal history, familial relationships, and human rituals. The sculpture It was my pleasure is a reimagining of the tripod of the Oracle of Delphi, and draws inspiration from feminist narratives of spirituality and power, intertwined with ancient Greek mythology. The permanent installation is intended as a meditative space for contemplation and for honoring divine feminine energy across space and time. In this work Pelias seeks to create connections between her native city of New Orleans umand Greece, her family’s ancestral country of origin. 

Weighing 1,000 pounds and crafted from fiberglass, the sculpture was first unveiled at Capdevielle Place Park on October 23, 2021, marking the opening of Prospect.5. It remained there until the end of the event on January 23, 2022. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Arts New Orleans, Prospect New Orleans, and the local community, including the Lake Terrace Property Owners Association and Lakefront Management Association, It was my pleasure has found a new, permanent home, enriching the landscape and community of St. John Park.

The relocation of It was my pleasure sets the stage for future collaborations between Arts New Orleans, City of New Orleans Percent for Art Program, and Prospect New Orleans. Both organizations are committed to fostering artistic expression and cultural enrichment in the city. The partnership will continue with another co-commission by New Orleans-based artist Ashley Teamer for the upcoming triennial Prospect.6: the future is present, the harbinger is home, curated by Prospect’s Susan Brennan Co-Artistic Directors Miranda Lash and Ebony G. Patterson and set to open November 2, 2024.

Arts New Orleans and Prospect New Orleans are dedicated to enhancing the cultural landscape of New Orleans through art. This collaboration represents a shared vision of honoring the city's rich artistic heritage while embracing contemporary expressions of creativity.

To RSVP for the unveiling of It was my pleasure visit here. For more information, please visit www.artsneworleans.org and www.prospectneworleans.org. 

For press inquiries, please contact:

Tarah Douglas | tarah@prospectneworleans.org