The Young Artist Movement presents “Light Bearers,” a Mardi Gras-themed mural created by lead artist Journey Allen and 24 youth artists. "Light Bearers" pays homage to the Flambeaux Carriers, who were the first African Americans to participate in the mainstream New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration. Flambeaux participants consisted of both enslaved Africans and freed men of color who would earn tips tossed from the crowd as wages for their service of illuminating the path for nighttime parades by way of hand-held torches during the once segregated celebration.
During the initial weeks of the project, youth shared stories of their personal experiences with Mardi Gras, researched various aspects of Black Mardi Gras celebratory practices, and engaged in a hands-on workshop with Mardi Gras Indian Spy Boy Walter during their visit to The Material Institute. This project features portraits of the students adorned in Mardi Gras costumes that capture the contributions that African Americans have made to the celebration over time.
These foundational experiences gave students the context and inspiration they needed to develop their digital portrait with Tech Mentor Monica Kelly. Each YAM artist was supported in painting their individual portraits with Allen implementing her signature abstract design in the background of the 95-foot mural platform, adding a professional finish to each portrait.
This physical mural was created by our 2023 summer cohort and further developed in early 2024 through our augmented reality (AR) program. This AR project, led and created by our youth artists, provided them the space to explored the possibilities of the intersection of art and tech. YAM artists used mural documentation and the power of augmented reality (AR) to highlight the project’s theme and share the mural making process with parade goers. Our young artists aimed for audiences to gain a deeper understanding of the tradition of African American traditions through this enhancement of the “Light Bearers” mural.
- Subject Matter: Ritual
- Created: 2023 - 2024
- Current Location: Gallier Hall - 545 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans, LA 70130 (google map)
- Collections: Young Artist Movement (YAM)