THE ARTIST’S OPINION: 'GREAT ART IS BEING MADE IN LOUISIANA; LET IT COOK.' at the OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART
New Orleans is one of the most art-saturated cities I’ve ever experienced, both in the everyday and the extraordinary. Here, art isn’t just in one place, it spills into the streets through parades, porches, and murals, woven into daily rituals of community life.
As an artist, it’s a relief and an inspiration to find myself surrounded by people equally compelled to express something unique about this place. Everything here feels layered—whether it’s resilience in the face of unpredictable weather or the way histories overlap and build upon one another. Living here feels like being part of an ongoing, collective collage, and I find myself constantly observing what makes it so special.
Since moving to New Orleans, I’ve been drawn to how art functions on every level of the city. I try to participate and support by attending openings and artist talks, where ideas are tested and shared in many different spaces. A recent visit to The Ogden Museum of Southern Art left a lasting impression on me for precisely this reason.
Read Full OPINION by Mark Leavens in the WINTER issue.
Street Date: Tuesday December 9th 2025
Mark Leavens
Mark Leavens received his BA in Studio Art from the University of Texas at Austin and his MFA from Louisiana State University. His paintings, sculptures, and installations explore Southern culture and identity through humor, symbolism, and personal memory, reflecting on the peculiarity of everyday life.
