< Click here to view a Video-Slideshow of the exhibit on YouTube>
The jazz funerals in New Orleans are an ever changing phenomenon. They are a reflection of life, revealing the passions and philosophies of the living as well as the departed. Frequently, the funerals are arranged according to the wishes of the deceased who has pre-selected the music, and sometimes even the musicians to play the music. They are, above all, a tribute to life rather than a concession to death. These photographs were all taken between 1968 and 1970, and collectively, form an unique historic document of the funerals during that period. The photographs in this exhibition are grouped into three sections:
THE SPECTATORS drawn by curiosity, form a supporting cast and sometimes number in the thousands. They gather to vicariously sample "a happening".
THE FUNERAL PROCESSIONS to the church are a communion of souls.
They are open
demonstrations of an abiding faith in God and his judgement.
THE SECOND LINES follow the bands. Leaving the cemetery, the mood switches
to
one of unleashed emotions expressed in dance and music.
These photographs represent an attempt to show the sadness and dignity, the pride and humility, the stillness and motion, the silence and the music of the jazz funeral and the people who are a part of them.
< Click on Each Photo to View a Larger Image >
Part I - The Spectators
Part II - The Processions
Part III - The Second-Lines
EXHIBIT SPECIFICATIONS:
Exhibit Space Required: 100 to 125 Running Feet.
34 framed photographs
17 - 20 x 24 frames - 17 - 16 x 20 frames
Packed for shipping via freight or common carriers such as UPS.
Total Weight: Approx. 300 lbs. (4 crates).
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