Arts
One of the most important public artists in New Orleans is Enrique Alférez who was born in rural Mexico of indigenous Nahua heritage. His life spanned the 20th century, and his distinctive vision helped shape the look of the city. His figurative sculptures, fountains, architectural friezes, bas-reliefs and carvings can be found on buildings and streets throughout New Orleans from City Park to Lakefront Airport, from the Central Business District to Algiers Point. Alférez is the subject of a new biography by poet Katie Bowler Young called Enrique Alférez: Sculptor. Young had unrestricted access to his private papers and his family’s holdings; and, the result is a thoughtful, comprehensive, and visually-rich assessment of Enrique Alférez’s life and work. In this podcast, Young discusses the breadth of Alférez‘s work, his commitment to public art, his place in the New Orleans’ visual landscape, his celebration of women and laborers, his time with Pancho Villa’s revolutionary army (oh yes!) and why a poet would take on the task of writing a biography—even one of a great artist.