Enjoy New Orleans Artisanship At Frenchmen Art Market

Although it’s mainly known for its musical legacy, New Orleans is a buzzing hub of culture in all aspects. The Frenchmen Art Market is a great example of this – held weekly at nighttime, the combination of art, lighting and hazy music combine to create an ethereal, otherwordly atmosphere. The market prides itself on its family setting and the exposure it’s able to give to up and coming local artists. If you’re taking a stroll around, you can take a break from perusing the jewelry and crafts on offer to speak with the local artisans purveying them. We found out more in conversation with Lauren Lagarde.

What’s New Orleans’ best kept secret?

The art scene in the city is New Orleans’ best kept secret. New Orleans is best known for its extravagant food and music, not necessarily art, but once people visit, the art absolutely takes hold of their hearts.

At The Culture Trip, we cover art, culture and travel for every destination in the world; what is one city that you would consider a must-visit for our readers?

Obviously New Orleans. The New Orleans way of life – food, music, architecture, art and diverse people all blend into a most unique culture that one can only understand by experiencing it.

Which artwork would you hang in your living room?

Currently, I have pieces by Ashley Longshore, Pippen Frisbie-Calder, Todd Lyons, Nurhan Gokturk, Nikki Crook and Drew Meeuwes, all of whom are local artists.

Tell us about the Market’s outdoor living rooms.

What is one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. We use an eclectic mix of pieces that we have acquired over the years to carefully design a relaxing atmosphere.

Which top emerging artists should we be following?

The best thing about New Orleans, specifically the art market, is that our artists are all emerging and diverse.

New Orleans is, of course, famous for its music, particularly Jazz and R&B. Do you believe the city’s musical spirit and legacy translates to other aspects of its culture such as art?

Art imitates life and the local artists all pour the spirit of New Orleans, which encompasses so many things including music, into their artwork.

What does the future hold for the Frenchmen Art Market?

Our goal is to make New Orleans a destination to discover art by uplifting the artists of the city. We also just opened an art retail and event space on St. Claude Avenue called the Art Garage. We hope to continue the mission of FAM in this new and exciting space!
Frenchmen Art Market is one of the winners of The Culture Trip’s New Orleans Local Favorite 2016 Award. The Local Favorite badge is awarded to our favorite local towns, restaurants, artists, galleries, and everything in between. We are passionate about showcasing popular local talents on a global scale, so we have cultivated a carefully selected, but growing community.
Interview by Henry Oliver