by
LEO TOUCHET
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The photographs in the book, all taken between 1968 and 1970, are from several funerals, including those of George Lewis, Alcide "Slowdrag" Pavageau, Paul "T-Boy" Barbarin, and Leon "Nooney-Boy" Shelly (a member of one of the many second-line and social clubs). After 1970, the jazz funerals began to change irrevocably from their traditional form, and the photographs in the book show the end of that era. I was first introduced to the jazz funerals by friends. I photographed them simply because they were a part of the life of New Orleans. This book is my 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. Someone asked me recently why I waited so long to publish this collection of photographs. Well, there’s one answer. Like any good stock, the ideas for this book have been simmering for years, but the right combination of ingredients wasn’t there. The time wasn’t ripe. The gumbo just wasn’t ready ‘til now. |
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Leo Touchet, a native of Louisiana, has been photographing since 1965. He has worked for numerous national and international publications in over 50 countries in the past 33 years, and is still counting. |
LIFE MAGAZINE - TIME MAGAZINE - NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE
FORTUNE MAGAZINE - MONEY MAGAZINE - U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
COUNTRY JOURNAL - NATURAL HISTORY MAGAZINE - AMERICA ILLUSTRATED
THE NEW YORK TIMES - THE WASHINGTON POST - THE SOUTHERN QUARTERLY
POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY - DER STERN (Germany)
EXHIBITIONS
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY - ARKANSAS ART CENTER
BIBLIOTHEQUE NATIONALE (France) - BROOKS MEMORIAL (Memphis)
COLUMBUS MUSEUM (Georgia) - EVERSON MUSEUM (Syracuse)
FOTOFEST '92 (Houston) - GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY - MIAMI ART CENTER (Florida)
MINT MUSEUM (North Carolina) - NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC LIBRARY
OKLAHOMA ART CENTER - PUBLIC THEATER (New York City)
ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM (Toronto) - TEXAS WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON - UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA - UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
PHOTOGRAPHY USA 1976
United States Bicentennial Exhibit to the Soviet Union & Eastern Europe
COLLECTIONS
BIBLIOTHEQUE NATIONALE (France)
CHASE MANHATTAN COLLECTION
EVERSON MUSEUM OF ART
HOUSTON MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART
SCHOMBURG CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN BLACK CULTURE
UNTIED STATES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Top of Page Book & Print Prices
Exhibition Pages | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
Contact Leo Touchet for purchase or inquiry. Touchet's website cajunfoto.com for more photography
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