New Orleans unveils murals, public art for Super Bowl
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"The Welcoming Committee" is a mural by Annie Moran on the Girod Street overpass. Photo: Courtesy of The Helis Foundation
As we count down to Super Bowl LIX and New Orleans construction crews wrap up new roadways and sidewalks, artists are also finishing a number of projects that'll showcase more of the city's uniqueness.
Why it matters: Many of the projects, including murals across downtown, were commissioned by Arts New Orleans and will be ones that residents get to enjoy far past the game on Feb. 9.
The big picture: The NFL and city officials have promised that Super Bowl LIX will benefit the city financially while also raising the profile of the people who make it so special.
- Some of those efforts started early.
- Tahj Williams, Queen of the Golden Eagles Black Masking Indian Tribe, designed the official logo, the first time the NFL tapped a host city artist for the purpose. She also contributed to additional brand design elements. Go deeper.
- Plus, the NFL Shop tapped three local designers for its Origins merch collection.
The latest: Brandan "BMIKE" Odums, Carl Joe Williams and Annie Moran are among the artists who created more than a dozen downtown murals in time for the Super Bowl crowds.
📍 Duncan Plaza: BMIKE's works include one on the HEAL parking garage, facing Duncan Plaza and City Hall. The project includes a portrait of his grandfather.
- "This wall has tempted me for many years," the artist wrote on Instagram. "I pray it serves as a reminder that the everyday people of New Orleans are giants."
📍 Girod Street: BMIKE worked with his youth programming group Eternal Seeds on a mural on the side of the Hyatt Regency on Girod Street.
📍Loyola at Poydras: Carl Joe Williams' multi-part mural is under production production on the Orleans Parish Civil Courthouse.
📍 Girod Street overpass: Moran's mural, "The Welcoming Committee," spans the Girod Street overpass and features a Black Masking Indian queen with her arms outstretched in welcome.
📍 Marriott Hotel: A Shepard Fairey mural is in the works on Canal Street.
📍 WDSU: A Keith Duncan mural inspired by Plaquemines Parish is in the works on Howard Avenue.
📍 Entergy substation: Patrick Henry is working on a mural at the bottom of Canal Street along the Entergy substation. The work depicts a trumpet player and a rainbow of musical color.
📍 I-10: Young artists are creating a mural along the lakeside stretch of I-10 near the city jail. The Arts New Orleans project is a partnership between Apple, Ellis Marsalis Music Center, and Delgado Community College
📍 100 blocks of the French Quarter: Seven murals are in the works for the first blocks off Canal Street going into the Quarter. They include installations on Decatur, Chartres, Bourbon and Royal streets.
Super Bowl light shows
What we're watching: Temporary light installations are also part of the Super Bowl decor, a press release says. They will appear on the Caesars Superdome and projected on the St. Louis Cathedral.
- The Superdome light show will start at dusk Feb. 1, lighting up the sky with over 25 million lux. It'll run through Feb. 9.
- The St. Louis Cathedral project will begin at 6:30pm Feb. 2, with half-hour shows with designs from local artists Becky Fos, James Michalopoulos, Terrance Osborne, George Rodrigue and Hunt Slonem. That project will take 13 laser projectors and include a locally inspired soundtrack.
Plus, watch for the Crescent City Connection's new lights to be on theme for the week, too.