Festival of Fins

Artist John Scott was born and raised in New Orleans’s Ninth Ward. He taught at Xavier University for more than 40 years and was named a MacArthur Fellow in 1992 by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, a highly prestigious honor that came at the height of his career.

Scott was known for creating vibrant kinetic sculptures that explored topics ranging from the West African diddly-bow string instrument to the rhythms and movements inspired by enslaved dancers in early 19th-century in New Orleans’s famed Congo Square. His large woodcuts drew heavily upon life in the city, especially its rich Afro-Caribbean culture and musical heritage.