Photography by Brian Perkins, Eric Waters and Michael Gildersleeve
Studio 1318, in the dependency of a French Quarter mansion on Chartres and Esplanade, will house a new show that presents three photographers focused on the ‘joie de vivre’ – the joy of life – that makes New Orleans culture unique the United States.
“We are fusing the visions of three American views of life that are diverse, but connected,” said Morgan Molthrop, curator of the show.
New Orleans native, Brian Perkins, who has made a decade-long transition from wine aficionado to photographer, has been crafting provocative portraits of women as metaphors for oenology. The photographs are part of new book that will feature these images with explanations of how they relate to the making, storage and tasting of fine wines.
Eric Waters will present new photographs of Dr. Michael White’s clarinets, ruined by Katrina flood waters. Entombed and corroding in their cases, Waters provides colorful insight into the beauty of elegant decay, and the contrast between tragedy and resurrection. Mr. Waters is known for his intensely colorful images of the Mardi Gras Indians and for knowing how to translate the feeling of music, movement and landscape into a visual context.
The photographs of Las Vegas native and recent transplant Michael Gildersleeve, and up-and-coming ‘eye’ on the scene, provide a trifecta that invites the visual palate to join an ongoing celebration. Gildersleeve, who has spent the last few years traveling the West, trying to capture diverse spectrums of American life, fell in love with the ‘tapestry of New Orleans’ and moved here in February. This will be the first public showing of his images in the Crescent City.
Wine Women and Song will open with a reception on Thursday, December 10 from 6 PM to 9 PM. Studio 1318 is on 1318 Chartres St., just off Esplanade. Gallery hours are 1 – 5, Thursday through Saturday. For a private showing, call Morgan Molthrop at 504-638-3057.