French Quarter Art Prints: the Story Behind the First Collection
French Quarter Art Prints Inspired by Mornings during the Pandemic
When the pandemic reached New Orleans, ordinary time was suspended. French Quarter boutiques boarded up. Wind tumbled through a lonely Jackson Square. Even the locals seemed to melt away from their usual haunts in the residential end of the neighborhood. With the streets clear, the timeless beauty of the French Quarter came into focus and inspired photographer Tia Nash to create Nash Narrative’s first series, the French Quarter Collection.
Seeing the Past in the Present
The French Quarter is famous for its architecture. The late-18th-century style connects New Orleans to former colonial hubs throughout the Caribbean. Although European colonizers founded the city in 1718, most buildings currently standing were built after the fires of 1788 and 1794. Consequently, New Orleans is considered the most European or the most Caribbean city in the U.S., depending on who you ask. The French Quarter cityscape reminds us that although Americans tend to think of the Caribbean as a place only accessible by cruise ship, New Orleans is a cosmopolitan center of the circum-Caribbean.
The early days of the pandemic allowed a glimpse of the past in the present. Free from day drinkers and diners, the balconies made themselves known in the bold arcs and twirls of their ironwork. What extraordinary and beautifully ordinary moments have those balconies hosted? Looking up from the street, one almost can see the ghosts of lovers and friends swaying or catch phantom fragments of Creole in the Mississippi River breeze.
Jackson Square and St.Louis Cathedral comprise the heart of the French Quarter. Typically bustling with buskers, artists, brass bands, and tourists, the beginning of the pandemic brought an eerie quiet to the square. Without the usual lively distractions, the Cathedral’s spires loomed more imposing over the square. Walking up Chartres Street, the Cathedral emerges from the morning mist like a fairytale castle. Even amid the timeless architecture of the French Quarter, the Cathedral’s regalness sets it apart.
Every shade of blue, gray, and green finds its way into the cityscape of brick and stone. By removing brightly attired travellers from the streets, the early days of the pandemic revealed the hues previously taken for granted. The centuries have faded the buildings’ exteriors into mottled beauty unmatched in warmth and elegance by any 21st-century reclaimed wood interior. French blue shutters take on a new vibrancy against peachy brick and muted gray skies. Ironwork adds curls of patina to the unexpected sea of color.
Pandemic Street Art
The timelessness of the French Quarter cityscape was underscored by the street art that arose on boarded windows and doors. Messages of social justice and support for healthcare workers adorned buildings in bright colors and contemporary styles. The contrast made the 18th century architecture feel even more as if it had been frozen in time. Coronavirus became one more cataclysm that the French Quarter, and New Orleans as a whole, would survive, though not without cost.*
A Moment in Time/A Timeless Moment
Although it was inspired by walks during the pandemic, the French Quarter Collection grew beyond capturing a moment in time to portraying a timeless moment. The photographs transcend only being relevant to the pandemic experience.
Jasmine I and II and Magnolia evoke the perfume drifting across balcony-shaded sidewalks in the springtime. In Bourbon Street, the Central Business District buildings rising out of the mist remind us of that eternal sense of romantic mystery that makes the French Quarter a world of its own even in the middle of a modern city. St. Louis Cathedral lends a spiritual turn to this aura in Cathedral I, II, and III. Mist weaves around the Cathedral’s spires, which pierce the center of the French Quarter’s skyline.
Finally, Royal Street and French Quarter I and II celebrate the unexpected vibrancy of this historic neighborhood. Yellow buildings, orange brick, and blue-green balconies line subdued gray streets in surprisingly vivid hues. Old as these streets are, they are so full of life that one can’t help imagining the stories of everyone who has walked them before.
The French Quarter is timeless precisely because so many eras of history exist layered atop one another here. By stripping away the hustle of modern life, the pandemic reminded us that this neighborhood is a true gem.
Do you want to bring the French Quarter to your home? Shop the French Quarter Collection here.
*The Times-Picayune explored the pandemic art on nearby Frenchman Street in this article.
