The Artists in Residence (AIR) program by Ace NOLA is back in full effect starting this July and partnering with Material Institute located in the heart of the 9th ward.
This long-term program by Ace Hotel has been bringing multidisciplinary artists together in one hotel to allow inspiration and celebrate each city they call home.
By encouraging the free spirit of artists to roam and deliver compelling pieces that represent the city, they bring their mission to life. They want artists to express how the cities have left a mark on them after experiencing its culture and diversity.
Ace Hotels believes artists can create things that generate perspective on the world for themselves and their viewers and promote different forms of expression, whatever the result may be.
The AIR program brings artists to stay in one of their eight locations and simply create as they please. By the end of each artist's stay which can be up to a month, they will present their work to the public.
This year Ace Hotel New Orleans' curatorial partner is Material Institute. They have also helped create the lineup of participating artists.
The Material Institute is a nonprofit art center and free education facility in New Orleans that provide resources to a new generation of homegrown artists working in music, fashion and community gardening.
Both the Material Institute and Ace Hotels give opportunities to more local artists so they may have a chance to be discovered even further in their work and credited for the added beauty they bring to their cities.
This Ace Hotel New Orleans will be bringing François Boudreaux, Sultana Isham, Chef Jas and Donaka Katherine to the residence to each present their work after their stay.
François Boudreaux is first up for residence and will have his opening exhibit on August 5 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. His work will stay up through October.
Boudreaux is a New Orleans native that focuses on multidisciplinary design and textile artistry. While obtaining his MA recently in womenswear design from Central Saint Martins, he has also been an instructor at Material Institute as a fashion instructor.
For a list of each curatorial partner and artist description in the AIR program go to the Ace Hotels website and check the city you're interested in.
To rsvp for the first 2023/2024 AIR program exhibit in NOLA, click here for free tickets.
