“Bruce Davenport, Jr. was born in 1972 at Charity Hospital and grew up in the Lafitte Housing Projects in the 6th Ward. With the encouragement of his grandparents who raised him, he began to draw at the age of five as a means to entertain himself and document the world around him. Throughout his schooling, particularly at Joseph S. Clark, he was exposed to and intrigued by the junior high and high school marching band culture – a culture that is integral to New Orleans.

Following Hurricane Katrina and the devastation to New Orleans and its schools, Davenport, Jr. felt compelled to honor the past glory of this unique band culture and celebrate those who are able to continue it. In his words, “The marching bands are a passion to me. I love the history and culture… My work serves as an illustrative reminder of an activity that not only encourages creative thought processing but also engages youth with the community and with each other. Using photographic documentation of these bands in action, I recreate their vibrant pageantry… hopefully leaving behind a sacred reminder of a vibrant part of my hometown’s identity.”

Bruce Davenport, Jr.’s vivid color marker drawings provide detailed reenactments – the bands in precise number and formation and the multitude of spectators surrounding them. The small- and large-scale works on paper are flecked with the artist’s thoughts and tributes, interspersed between the crowds and streets. The rendered still moments evoke the energy and ceremony of the entire procession. The artist has been described as, “not so much a self-taught artist as he is a self-taught anthropologist.” His drawings capture not only the vibrancy of marching band culture, but also their role as beacons of collaborative community for many young people in New Orleans. Flat, patterned formations, reminiscent of Egyptian hieroglyphs, communicate a spiritual component he also notes as a part of marching band communities.”