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  • Artist: Jose Fernandes

On the 30th of August 2005, myself and my wife, the artist Cecelia Fernandes, climbed our way through debris and began our stunned walk through the devastation that Hurricane Katrina brought to our neighborhood of Treme, and the realization started to settle in that our lives would be changed forever. Thank God I had my camera. Even after all of these years we are still trying to make sense of what happened through those images. One thing I’m sure of is, on that day I reconnected with my passion.

With my camera, I can freeze historic events into snap shots of awe, beauty, of hope and despair, or simply mundane gestures or rituals in everyday life, distilling in one frame the power of what it means to be human.

“Ali”
In 2012, Washington Post Journalist Natalie Hopkinson visited New Orleans promoting her book “Go-Go Live: The Musical Life and Death of a Chocolate City.” That book triggered my curiosity, and in 2015, on a trip to DC, I walked around shinny Mid Town, looking for vestiges of a bygone period. There, I happened upon an old, dilapidated one story building and met the man inside, Eugene Hughes, a former boxer and the founder of Mid Town Youth Academy who dedicated his life to educating and training kids. When I saw that poster of Ali, in the back of the building, the parallels between Ali and Eugene were undeniable in their power to inspire kids like the thousands that passed through the hall, training, dreaming of glory. Since his death, a few years ago, Eugene’s legacy lives through his Non-Profit that is now located in the Brightwood Park neighborhood of DC

\https://www.midtownyouthacademy.org
24”x36” Archival Pigment Print done with Fine Art Smooth Natural Cotton Rag Paper framed in my wife’s handmade frame of burned wood we recovered from centenary homes of New Orleans.

All of my work is presented under the creative direction of my wife, Cecelia Fernandes.

I have collaborated in several books, the latest of which “L’Avana,” published in Italy by Odoya, and published in several international magazines such as Travel and Leisure, Conde Nast, Mo, Damn, Monument Authentic, Publico among many as well as numerous exhibitions in Museums, Galleries and Art Fairs.

Recent Exhibitions
2025
Outside the Tent, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage foundation Gallery, New Orleans
Refreshing America, Contemporary arts Center Museum, New Orleans 2023
Trifecta: a photography exhibition in 3 movements, New Orleans 2021
Ressuscitation, Second Story Gallery, New Orleans

2019
RetroActive, The Front Gallery, New Orleans

2018
New Surroundings, Photo NoLA, New Orleans (upcoming)Constructing the Break, Contemporary Arts Center Museum, New OrleansThe Rent Is Too Damn High!, Crescent City Boxing Gym, New OrleansPolitico Pop Up 3, Art Space 3116, New OrleansWetlands Tour 2018, New Orleans Art Center, New Orleans

2017
Insentient Objects, Prospect 4 Satellite, New OrleansLouisiana Contemporary, Ogden Museum, New OrleansBywater Biennial, Group show, New Orleans Art Center, New Orleans 3rd edition of Atelier Aberto —New Orleans, Atelier Aberto, São Paulo, Brazil

2016
Politico Pop Up 2, Group Show, New Orleans Art Center, New OrleansRevolt: Transmissions from the Social/Political Battle Field, Solo Show, Eight One Eight Gallery, New Orleans Louisiana Photography Biennial, Group show, New Orleans Art Center, New Orleans A Room with a View, group show, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans
Unveiled, group show, Hyphen Gallery, New Orleans

2015
Politico Pop Up, Photo Nola, New Orleans Center for Art, New OrleansLouisiana Contemporary, Ogden Museum, New Orleans\
FLAG, Sculpture for New Orleans, New Orleans
Que Bola Asere, New Orleans Photo Alliance, New Orleans X: The Variable of Progress M-Studio, New Orleans

2014
Prospect 3+, Imago Mundi, Luciano Benetton Collection, New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans.

“Ali.” by Jose Fernandes
  • Jose Fernandes
  • “Ali.”
  • Photography and Mixed Media