Channe Felton-Oil Painting, Mixed Media
Raised in Southern Louisiana, I was deeply emotionally affected by the tragedy of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The unique culture and history of New Orleans can never be replaced, and is founded by the African-American community that has resided there for decades. I felt compelled to express my emotions on canvas. The Katrina Triptych was conceptualized as both a document and spiritual representation of this American tragedy.
The inspiration for the format of the three panels came from my affinity with Renaissance and Medieval art. It evolved into a representation of an altarpiece that would signify "Rebirth", a hope that restoration and new beginnings would be possible.
"The Katrina Triptych" is an oil and silkscreen painting on canvas that depicts the day when Hurricane Katrina hit on August 29, 2005, devastating the city of New Orleans and the gulf coast. The composition includes three panels, measuring 7 feet by 4 feel, which reads as a 24-hours narrative.
The background of the painting features a city from the newspaper mastheads and headlines of all 50 states of the U.S.A., beginning with Alabama and ending with Wyoming, from the August 31, 2005 editions. Master printer Daniel Knorra silk-screened the headlines from the actual newspapers. The headlines from the press establish the groundwork of the harsh reality of this national disaster. The imagery of the three panels is superimposed on this foundation.
The first panel represents the causes of natural disasters, which we as the human community are vulnerable to. I painted a rendition of the official photography from NASA of Hurricane Katrina as it began to hit landfall at 6:10 a.m. CDT on August 29, 2005. The levees broke and the city was flooded within hours.
The center panel embodies of the images of a Creole woman holding three lillies. She arises from the background of a devastated city within the muddy waters of New Orleans. The lillies represent death, rebirth, and the "Fleur de Lis".
The final panel depicts the traditional funeral procession of African-American musicians and families in New Orleans. I pray it is a tradition that never dies.
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"The Katrina Triptych"
