NEW ORLEANS – For the first time since 2015, two artists from New Orleans have been invited to participate in the International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, one of the most prestigious international art exhibitions in the world. Contemporary artists Dawn DeDeaux and Big Chief Demond Melancon are the only artists from the American Gulf South selected for the 61st International Art Exhibition, In Minor Keys, which will run from May 9 through Nov. 22 at the Giardini, the Arsenale, and various locations throughout Venice.
New Orleans & Company shares the selection of DeDeaux and Melancon showcases the extraordinary breadth of New Orleans’ creative culture. DeDeaux, a pioneering multidisciplinary artist exhibited in major institutions worldwide, represents the city’s thriving contemporary art scene. Melancon, Big Chief of the Young Seminole Hunters, embodies the living cultural traditions that pulse through New Orleans’ streets: the centuries-old practice of Black Masking, where breathtaking beadwork and craftsmanship are passed down through generations.
Together, they represent the full spectrum of New Orleans’ creative identity: from the galleries to the streets, from contemporary innovation to ancestral tradition. Their selection affirms what New Orleanians have always known—that this city is one of the most culturally significant places on earth.
Along with partners including the New Orleans Museum of Art and The Helis Foundation, New Orleans & Company shares its proud support of this landmark artistic accomplishment. This unique opportunity allows collaboration highlighting our creative community, destination marketing leadership, institutional achievement, and philanthropic vision to elevate New Orleans’ profile on the world stage.
“This historic selection represents exactly the kind of strategic opportunity New Orleans & Company seeks to champion: one that positions our city as a global cultural capital,” said Walt Leger III, president and CEO of New Orleans & Company, in a release about the artists. “Dawn DeDeaux and Big Chief Demond Melancon embody the artistic excellence and cultural authenticity that make New Orleans the most unique and remarkable city in the world. By supporting their participation in Venice, we are investing in international recognition that resonates far beyond the art world, reinforcing New Orleans’ reputation as a destination where culture is not just preserved—it is continually created and celebrated. We congratulate Dawn and Big Chief Demond on this extraordinary achievement and are proud to support them as they represent our city to the world.”
“Their work reflects the profound cultural depth and diversity that define New Orleans,” said Susan M. Taylor, The Montine McDaniel Freeman Director of the New Orleans Museum of Art. “To have two artists who embody New Orleans’ heritage, who understand it in their bones and whose work is inseparable from this identity, is extraordinary. This recognition affirms the importance of place in shaping artistic vision and celebrates New Orleans as a wellspring of creative excellence. We could not be more proud to see Dawn and Big Chief Demond carry our city’s spirit to Venice.”
“To be selected for the Venice Biennale is a profound honor, not only for me personally, but for New Orleans, the city that has shaped my artistic vision for over four decades,” said Dawn DeDeaux, multidisciplinary artist. “Koyo Kouoh understood that New Orleans is not on the margins of the global art conversation—it is central to it. Her curatorial vision recognized the connections between our city and creative communities across the African diaspora and beyond. I am deeply grateful to carry her vision forward and to represent New Orleans on this historic stage.”
“Everything I create comes from the streets of New Orleans—from the traditions passed down through generations of Black Masking Indians, from my ancestors, and from this community that raised me,” said Big Chief Demond Melancon, Big Chief of the Young Seminole Hunters and internationally recognized visual artist. “To bring our culture to Venice and share it with the world is something I never could have imagined. This is bigger than me. This is for every hand that ever sewed a bead, every voice that ever called out on Mardi Gras morning, and every Indian who came before me. New Orleans made me who I am, and I’m proud to represent my city and my people on this global stage.”
The late Koyo Kouoh, the acclaimed Swiss-Cameroonian curator who made history as the first African woman appointed Artistic Director of the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, personally selected DeDeaux and Melancon before her sudden passing in 2024. La Biennale di Venezia has committed to realizing her vision exactly as she originally planned, honoring her groundbreaking curatorial perspective.
Among the 111 invited participants—including individual artists, collaborative duos, collectives, and artist-led organizations from around the globe—Kouoh identified the two New Orleans artists as essential voices in her “relational geography of encounters.” Her curatorial vision sought connections between artists working across Salvador, Dakar, San Juan, Beirut, Paris, Nashville, and New Orleans, recognizing how their ingenuity, material experimentation, and visionary ideas converge across distance and difference.
New Orleans & Company shares its presence in Venice reflects the organization’s commitment to leveraging cultural excellence as a driver of international visibility and economic impact. The International Exhibitions organized by La Biennale di Venezia attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, global media coverage, and influential collectors, curators, and cultural leaders from every continent—presenting an unparalleled platform to showcase New Orleans’ contemporary arts scene to the world.
The pre-opening events will take place May 6–8, with the awards ceremony and official inauguration on Saturday, May 9.