“Pride of Place: The Making of Contemporary Art in New Orleans celebrates art collector and gallery owner Arthur Roger’s transformational gift of his entire personal art collection to the New Orleans Museum of Art. Spotlighting one of the city’s most groundbreaking contemporary art collections, the exhibition explores the rise of modern and contemporary art in New Orleans. Since its founding in 1978, the Arthur Roger Gallery has been one of New Orleans most exciting venues for contemporary art. Roger’s personal collection of more than eighty paintings, photographs and sculptures reflects the gallery’s storied forty-year history as well as Arthur’s skill and sophistication as an art collector. Bringing together artworks Roger has collected from the 1970s through today, Pride of Place unfolds as an evolving narrative about place, identity, and belonging in contemporary art in New Orleans over the course of the last four decades.” — NOMA
“Arthur Roger helped put the art of New Orleans into conversation with the broader art world, and into dialogue with the pressing social and political issues of our time. His collection offers an unparalleled glimpse into the history of New Orleans’ evolving art scene,” says Katie A. Pfohl, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at NOMA.
Ida Kohlmeyer. Synthesis BB, 1983. Mixed media on canvas, 68 ½ x 69 inches. Gift of Arthur Roger, 2012.121 © The Estate of Ida Kohlmeyer
Robert Gordy. Male Head, 1983. Monotype, 49 ¾ x 34 ¼ inches. Promised Gift of Arthur Roger, EL.2016.132.32 © The Estate of Robert Gordy
Robert Colescott. Power for Desire-Desire for Power, 1987. Acrylic on canvas, 90 x 114 inches. Promised Gift of Arthur Roger, EL.2016.132.16 © Robert Colescott
Deborah Kass. Camouflage Self-Portrait, 1994. Silkscreen ink and acrylic on canvas, 72 x 72 inches. Promised Gift of Arthur Roger, EL.2016.132.35 © Deborah Kass
Catherine Opie. Self-Portrait/Cutting, 1993. Chromogenic print, 40 x 30 inches. Edition of 8, 2 Aps. This is the Printer’s Proof at 20 x 16 inches. Promised and partial gift of Arthur Roger, 2014.84 © Catherine Opie
Willie Birch. An American Family, 1991. Papier-mache and mixed media, 68 x 26 ½ x 23 ½ inches. Gift of Howard and Judy Tullman in honor of Arthur Roger, EL.2016.123 © Willie Birch
Luis Cruz. Azaceta Museum Plan for New Orleans, 2006. Canvas: charcoal, acrylic, enamel, chair, photos inside plastic bottles, shellac on canvas; Paper and found object: charcoal, acrylic, enamel, shellac on paper and photo mounted to found object, Canvas: 96 x 144 x 12 inches; Paper and found object: 89 x 90 x 10 inches. Gift of Arthur Roger, 2014.78 © Luis Cruz Azaceta
Radcliffe Bailey. Covered, 2008 Found fabric, 70 x 72 ½ inches. Promised Gift of Arthur Roger, EL.2016.132.3 © Radcliffe Bailey
John Waters. Rush, 2009. Polyurethane, oil, PVC, plastic (Edition 1/5), 18 x 66 x 30 inches. Promised Gift of Arthur Roger, EL.2016.132.60 © John Waters
Lee Deigaard. Steady Star, 2011. Video, AP. Promised Gift of Arthur Roger, EL.2016.132.22 © Lee Deigaard
Bruce Davenport, Jr. (Dapper Bruce Lafitte). I’m a NOLA Art Beast, 2013. Pen and marker on paper, 60 x 40 inche. Promised Gift of Arthur Roger, EL.2016.132.18 © Dapper Bruce Lafitte
Dawn DeDeaux. Metallica Space Clown Behind Fence in Blue Field, 2014. Digital drawing on polished acrylic (edition of 3), 88 x 40 inche.s Promised Gift of Arthur Roger, EL.2016.132.19 © Dawn DeDEAUX
The exhibition is organized by Katie Pfohl, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the New Orleans Museum of Art.
Images courtesy New Orleans Museum of Art.