The Magazine Antiques

Posted 01/23/13

Spirit Feel: A New Orleans Collection

Africa feels close in New Orleans. You hear it in the blue notes and polyrhythmic drumming of jazz. You taste it in the okra-laden gumbos and rice dishes of the local cuisine. You see it in a host of tra­ditional arts, from the richly beaded parading costumes of Mardi Gras Indians to the near-ubiquitous "shotgun" house-a form that derives from African models and is perfectly suited to the sultry climate of a Gulf Coast port.