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Regular Session, 2010 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 184
BY SENATORS QUINN AND DUPLESSIS
A RESOLUTION
To commend New Orleans artist, Jana Napoli, and YA/YA Alumni Artists on their mixed
media composition, Floodwall, and to congratulate them on receipt of an invitation
to exhibit, extended by the United States Department of State, in its embassies in
Warsaw, Poland and Berlin, Germany as cultural envoys from the state of Louisiana.
WHEREAS, since the 1970's, Jana Napoli, a prolific painter and mixed media artist,
has exhibited her work extensively in solo and group shows, in galleries, and in privately-
held collections throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, in 1988, she opened the doors of her New Orleans studio to a group of
commercial art students from the local vocational high school and founded YA/YA, Inc.,
Young Aspirations/Young Artists; and
WHEREAS, since that time she has turned her creative energies toward the
program's evolution into a model for progressive youth development that has garnered both
national and international acclaim; today, she serves as honorary chair of its advisory
council; and
WHEREAS, Floodwall is a memorial to commemorate the tragic effects of
Hurricane Katrina on the residents of New Orleans and to convey the universal truths of loss
and new beginnings; and
WHEREAS, Floodwall is as a collection of hundreds of furniture drawers salvaged
from the debris scattered in the wake of the storm with each identified by the street address
where it was recovered; and
WHEREAS, these drawers from kitchen cabinets, bureaus, and desks were assembled
onto a vertical surface to create an installation intended as a monument to the victims of the
storm to represent their loss of life and precious possessions; and
WHEREAS, the art experience of Floodwall has struck a distinct chord with many
observers who draw comparisons to floods and other disasters, to the Holocaust, to the plight
of refugees who flee tyrannical regimes, and to the fate of the disenfranchised who are
denied equal protection and due process before the law; and SR NO. 184 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, Jana Napoli and the YA/YA Alumni artists, Carlos Neville,
Gentelle Pedescleaux, Madania Graves, and Turron Patterson translate these ideas into
handiwork such as scraps of paper and love letters, cloth, pictures, and other personal items
nestled in the drawers; mementos hastily abandoned by the owner; and
WHEREAS, the human focus of Floodwall raises the poignant question of "what do
you take, what do you leave behind?"; and
WHEREAS, Floodwall will be exhibited in Warsaw and Berlin, together with
community programs, interactive scenarios, and performances led by YA/YA Alumni artists
during the months of July through September 2010; and
WHEREAS, the Floodwall installation itself serves as the framework for related
public performances and workshops on community building and civic education, especially
suited for young people, the elderly, and ethnic minorities; and
WHEREAS, the YA/YA Alumni are an amalgamation of multi-talented artists from
a variety of creative disciplines and backgrounds; and
WHEREAS, alumni artist and cultural envoy, Carlos Neville, is a professional
painter, cartoonist, dancer, and street performer with Dragon Master Showcase, and serves
as a member of the Board of Directors of YA/YA, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, Gentelle Pedescleaux, is a talented dancer, performance and visual arts
educator, and has dedicated her talents to community service in the Baton Rouge area; and
WHEREAS, Turron Patterson is a visual artist and shares his creativity with local
New Orleans Youth; and
WHEREAS, YA/YA, Inc. Senior Guild Member, Madania Graves, is a multi-media
artist, production and studio manager, and youth arts mentor; and
WHEREAS, YA/YA , Inc., founder and Floodwall creator and curator, Jana Napoli,
is an internationally renowned mixed-media artist and Metairie native, who has dedicated
the last twenty years to the development of opportunities for New Orleans youth, to cultivate
their talents, and to boost their self-confidence through the use of creative processes; and
WHEREAS, the team of Louisiana artists, YA/YA, Inc., have greatly contributed to
a better understanding of American democratic society and its values of tolerance, diversity,
empowerment of women and minorities, and dedication to community service. SR NO. 184 ENROLLED
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend artists, Jana Napoli and the YA/YA Alumni Artists, as envoys and
ambassadors of Louisiana's rich culture, congratulate them on their international recognition,
and wish for them much success in the future.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Jana Napoli and the Alumni Artists of YA/YA.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE