"Worst of 2010"

The National Trust for Historic Preservation compiled a list of the "Best and Worst of 2010," surveying the historic preservation landscape.

New Orleans and the destruction of Lower Mid-City was listed as one of the top five worst disappointments in the nation:

Destruction in New Orleans

Imagine surviving Hurricane Katrina, returning to your flood-scarred home in New Orleans, and lovingly restoring it, only to have it torn down. That's what happened to residents of historic Mid-City this year. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Louisiana State University chose the Mid-City neighborhood for the site of their new hospitals, and demolition began earlier this year. Some owners were able to move their houses out of harm's way, however.

Solitary Artist

An artist appeared on the landscape yesterday in the VA Footprint.

As he painted an old guesthouse and shed behind one home, I thought about artists and the site for a bit.

For a city that has such a burgeoning art scene, I've seen almost zero artistic response or reaction or challenge to the LSU/VA hospitals project.  Local artists, by and large, in my opinion, have really failed on this one.  Where have you been St. Claude?  The project is a glaring opportunity for creating highly relevant artwork that addresses a major, emotional, multi-faceted public issue.

A few exceptions do come to mind, however.  Professor Stephen Hilger has brought his photographic eye to bear on the site for quite some time now, and I know he's been building up a trove of moving photos.  I also saw Charles, who runs The Dark Room, leaving the site as a storm rolled in one day with photo equipment in hand.

Perhaps I've overlooked some artistic responses to the project.  If so, please feel free to send word along. But as it stands, I'm at a loss when it comes to explaining the failure.