P.6: The Future is Present, The Harbinger is Home

Historically, New Orleans has been regarded as a city deeply rooted in its past. For The Future is Present, The Harbinger is Home, Co-Artistic Directors Miranda Lash and Ebony G. Patterson will posit New Orleans as a globally relevant point of departure for examining our collective future as it relates to climate change, legacies of colonialism, and definitions of belonging and home.

About Prospect New Orleans:

After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans' art community pondered the role artists could play in the city's recovery. Dan Cameron, a seasoned curator of international biennials, saw a unique opportunity: the US lacked a major international biennial akin to those in Venice, São Paulo, and Sydney. With its rich history and legacy, New Orleans was the ideal location to establish such an event.

In 2007, Cameron collaborated with local stakeholders like gallerist Arthur Roger and curator Bill Fagaly to launch Prospect New Orleans. Prospect.1 (2008-2009) became a landmark exhibition, showcasing how artists engaged with the city’s nontraditional venues amid post-Katrina recovery. It was the largest biennial of international contemporary art ever organized in the US and a pivotal moment for New Orleans.

Following Prospect.2, the exhibition adopted a triennial schedule, enhancing its programming and local collaborations. Subsequent curators have included Franklin Sirmans (Prospect.3), Trevor Schoonmaker (Prospect.4), and Naima J. Keith and Diana Nawi (Prospect.5).

Today, Prospect New Orleans is a major event in the global biennial/triennial calendar, attracting over 100,000 visitors and generating $10 million in economic impact and $800,000 in tax revenue for the city and state.