Alien vs Predator is a groundbreaking, multidisciplinary art exhibition coming to The New Orleans Art Center this August. New Orleans-native, Nicolas B. Aziz curated this diverse exhibition which incorporates the work of 20 different artists, from all over the world.
On August 12th, Alien vs Predator will celebrate “Opening Night” with a special reception from 7-9 PM. The exhibit will remain on display at The New Orleans Art Center until September 2nd.
“By transposing the term ‘Super-predator,’ the exhibition seeks to stimulate a curiosity within the viewer that forces them to reconsider the legitimacy of the term.”
The history behind the term “Super-predator”
In 1995, criminologist and political scientist, John J. DiLulio, Jr. penned “super-predators” in his article aptly-named “The Coming of the Super-Predators.” This article came about in the aftermath of the highly controversial legislation passed by President Bill Clinton–The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
“The Crime Bill” provided funding for the addition of 100,000 police officers and created almost $10 billion in funding for federal prisons. This act directly led to the commercialization of the term “super-predator,” to then be widely used to describe Black and Latino youth in the United States.
The term describes youth who possess “no conscience [and] no empathy,” according to a 1996 speech by Hillary Clinton. This piece of legislation “mercilessly contributed to the destruction of the families and communities that these ‘predators’ came from”. So, it begs the question…
“Who’s the predator?”
Answering this question is the focal point of Aziz’s upcoming exhibition in New Orleans. With a rich cultural background himself, Aziz harnesses a uniquely diverse, global perspective in Alien vs Predator.
This thought-provoking exhibition will be at The New Orleans Art Center from August 12th through September 2nd.
On August 5th, the annual Whitney White Linen Night will kick off the end of summer festivities across New Orleans. The following week, Alien vs Predator will share its opening with Dirty Linen Night, which draws about 10,000 attendees annually.
Whether already planning to attend Dirty Linen Night or not, we recommend joining the fun on August 12th for Alien vs Predator on its opening night.
More information is available on the official Facebook event here.
Alien vs Predator will feature the following artists (in alphabetical order): Sean Clark, Shani Crowe, Jim Denomie, Jeanette Ehlers, Robert Hodge, Dennis Holt, Kevin Lajoie, Kate Madeira, Soraya Jean Louis McElroy, Ti-Rock Moore, Caleb Neelon, Jack Niven, Joseph Norman, Desmond Owusu, Mario Padilla, Matthew Rosenbeck, Cynthia Scott, Catherine Tafur, Melissa Vandenberg, Joseph Isaiah Walton, Carl Joe Williams, Lorna Williams, and Peter Williams.