Filmmaker, Ghen Dennis, has been to New Orleans a number of times since Hurricane Katrina destroyed many people’s homes and neighborhoods.  She has worked on rebuilding projects, rescued a few dogs, and continues to document the remaining destruction.   During her most recent visit, she wheat-pasted poems to buildings still in need of rehab.

A few photos document these efforts (click to enlarge), and her documentary film will screen on September 15th at Issue Project Space in Brooklyn, NY.

From Ghen:

The locations are in Bywater neighborhood… aka Upper Ninth Ward. An area hit hard by Katrina, but recovering faster than the Lower Ninth and New Orleans East because of its proximity to the French Quarter and the now HBO famous Fauberg Marigny and Treme neighborhoods.  It is on the Western side of the Industrial Canal from the Lower Ninth Ward.

Of note: I was careful to hang the posters on walls that still bear the original Katrina spray paint signs… “TFW” = Toxic Flood Water, for example.

FOR MORE POEMS RESPONDING TO HURRICANE KATRINA AND THE GULF REGION OIL SPILL, PLEASE VISIT POETS FOR LIVING WATERS (CLICK HERE).

Still from Ghen Dennis’ poem, “Oil”… an oily map of the waterways in New Orleans from Lake Ponchartrain to the Gulf

(Click to enlarge)

“F/W” indicates that pets on site were given Food and Water. The X’s indicate dates (9/10 or 9/20) that relief workers were in the area.

Ghen’s film is now available (click here) on Vimeo!

Art Film Poetics Poetry Politics Sexy bayou Gulf New Orleans Oil Poet poetry action political Protest