We’re thrilled to welcome a powerful new exhibition to our home at the Contemporary Arts Center:
From the Storms of Our Souls: The Art of Ron Bechet, curated by Shana M. griffin, opens Saturday, April 5, 2025, and trust us—you’ll want to make time for this one.
This hauntingly poetic exhibit explores Black life through nature—its tangled beauty, its layered history, its resilience. With large-scale monochrome works rendered in charcoal, Ron Bechet creates living landscapes that speak of community, ancestry, struggle, and healing. Trees with deeply furrowed bark become storytellers. Vines curl like memory. The curves of roots and falling leaves offer silent wisdom, pulling us into the intimate experiences of Blackness—its pain, joy, beauty, and rebirth.
This is not just an art show. It’s an invitation to slow down and feel.
As a longtime fixture of the New Orleans arts community, Bechet brings decades of personal and cultural storytelling to this work. His improvisational, gestural style captures both the spirit and the struggle of Black identity in the American South—particularly in our city. It’s deeply rooted, richly textured, and completely unforgettable.
Make it a Date
Join the CAC for the Opening Reception on Saturday, April 5, and experience this exhibit surrounded by fellow artists, thinkers, and creatives. RSVP through the CAC website to save your spot.
Let’s support living, breathing art—and the stories it carries.
Perks for Members of The Shop
Did you know? As a member of The Shop at the CAC, you receive free membership to the Contemporary Arts Center, which means complimentary admission to this exhibit and all others. Even better—you’ll get a discount on CAC performances, so you can make a full evening of it, whether you’re catching an opening or planning a night out.
Interested in becoming a member of The Shop? Along with CAC perks, you’ll enjoy stunning workspaces, rooftop views, local coffee, and a community of creators. Schedule a tour here.