Esma Orgeron
July 2, 2007
NSU business college dean elected to state CPA board
July 4, 2007Don’t let her soft features and diminutive stature fool you.
Issa Abou-Issa is one tough cookie who knows what she wants out of life.
And when the New York City native discusses the future of Issa’s Galleria of Contemporary Fine Arts, she speaks with the undaunted conviction and bravado of an NFL lineman.
“The locals here have told me that there is no culture when it comes to art,” Abou-Issa explained. “This is where I come in. I’m going to show them contemporary fine art – no landscapes, flowers or pretty puppies. None of that stuff.”
The grand opening of Issa’s Galleria is scheduled for Saturday, July 14, at 309 Goode St. in Houma.
The celebration will include a live band, wine and cheese and a large flat screen television that will showcase video art created by one of the gallery’s featured Italian artists.
Abou-Issa can hardly wait.
“I already have a lot of support,” she said. “There are a lot of people who are really looking forward to this.”
As of June, Abou-Issa had already reserved the creations of 21 regional, national and international artists who specialize in paper, canvas, print photography, sculpture, metal art and video art.
She expects aficionados to recognize many of the names.
“When you reach a certain level of recognition in the art world, you usually tend to go to the big galleries,” Abou-Issa said. “I’m really fortunate that some of these artists gave me the opportunity to represent them. They believed in me, and I am really grateful for that.”
Abou-Issa moved to Houma with her husband, Dr. Fadi Abou-Issa, in 1996.
Making the transition from the Big Apple to the bayou was difficult, but Abou-Issa saw the potential for a gallery in her new digs.
“There’s a need here,” she said. “Art is everywhere, and it has always been around. Whether you’re in a big city or a small town in Kansas, you need art. Without it, what else is there to do?”
At the time, many locals went to New Orleans or Baton Rouge to purchase contemporary art pieces.
Abou-Issa had a feeling about Houma, but didn’t want to move too quickly.
“You can’t do something like this overnight,” she said.
Nonetheless, Terrebonne Parish’s population surge in the wake of Hurricane Katrina hastened Abou-Issa’s decision to move forward.
“Houma is now a booming town, so I figured it was now or never,” she explained.
Abou-Issa hopes to revitalize the downtown area with monthly exhibitions that will introduce local art lovers to fresh works. She already has “theme nights” planned for the next few months.
But it won’t end there.
Abou-Issa thinks her contemporary art gallery is only the beginning.
“I’m taking this international,” she said. “I have big dreams. I don’t have any doubt in my heart that this won’t be big.”
