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The South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center will dedicate Lis Nouveau (New Lily) on Tuesday, August 29, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. to commemorate the second-year anniversary of Hurricane Ida’s landfall in Louisiana. Lis Nouveau is a collaborative work between Louisiana artists Hans Geist and Kevin Brown. It is supported in part by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism and the Rougarou Fest. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser will be in attendance.
As a nod to our local heritage, this monument is created from original nutria pelt stretchers used to dry fur in the 1950s. These stretchers were donated by Alvin Dominique and Raymond Gros in honor of Wilma Cressonie. This work will be a permanent art installation on display in the waters of the Wetlands Event Center.
The water lily rising out of the muddy water is meant to serve as a symbol of hope and rebirth as our community continues to recover from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Ida. Water lilies mean many things in different parts of the world, but most traditions view the water lily as a symbol of resurrection because they close at night and reopen in the morning.
“I have to continually remind myself that the recovery process from such a devastating storm like Ida is a long one. It’s really easy to get depressed as you drive through our bayou communities and still see the destruction left behind by Ida,” said Jonathan Foret, Executive Director of the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center. “Art has the ability to help a community heal from such a tragedy, and we’re honored to have this work installed on our campus as a symbol of hope and strength for all to see as we continue in the recovery process.”
The dedication will take place under the Wetlands Event Center pavilion located at 86 Valhi Blvd, Houma, LA 70364 on Tuesday, August 29, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. for more information about the event, please visit their website.
