Gallery Reception: Dapper Bruce Lafitte

A View of New Orleans offers an energetic and deeply personal portrait of the city through the eyes of Dapper Bruce Lafitte. With his signature detail and storytelling flair, Lafitte captures the spirit, history, and everyday rhythm of New Orleans in a way that is both celebratory and refreshingly honest. His intricate ink drawings filled with color, commentary, and a distinct visual rhythm bring the city's stories to life. 

At the gallery reception for A View of New Orleans, visiting artist Dapper Bruce Lafitte unveiled a surprise. As he does for many schools and universities, Lafitte created a special work of art for Isidore Newman School and our two Band Directors, Brian Dufour and Joanna Izaguirre. The image, in his signature colorful marker drawing, was a depiction of the Newman Band arrayed and playing on a football field, complete with his annotations and notes found on other works. He presented it to the band leaders at the event, and it is now proudly displayed in the Band Room in the Joy and Boysie Bollinger Performing Arts Building.  

Over the past few weeks, Lafitte has met with several student groups to talk to them about his works and life as an artist. Newman students had additional opportunities to engage with him, gleaning further insights into his artistic process and learning what inspires him. 

Exhibit runs through December 19.