Jozart Center for the Arts will host an exhibition of California University of Pennsylvania student art work inspired by Hurricane Katrina on March 17, 2011, beginning at 6 p.m. The show will marry elements of art and music. Cajun cuisine will be served.

Mr. Zaphod, one of the show’s organizers, had this to say about the exhibit: “I have helped organize this art show for a friend of mine, Sakura Jones. Sakura is a former New Orleans resident, and brings a unique perspective to the situation, which she expresses via her artwork. With the recent second installment in Spike Lee’s Katrina films, I also felt that the time was right to present this tragedy to the public once more. Our ever-decreasing attention span does well enough to turn the gears of a consumerist economy, but the scars run much deeper within those who experience these tragedies firsthand.”

Exhibiting artist Sakura Jones described the show as follows: “A moment of crisis tends to provoke people to do something and get involved to help. We often find ourselves helping when it is too late. This show will bring light to the situation not only in New Orleans, but to every other place struck with misfortune that we just didn’t pay attention to prior to their devastation. These tragedies seem to be happening more frequently and with every new occurrence the last is forgotten. I grew up in New Orleans and lived there with just about my entire family so the whole issue surrounding it struck a nerve. The U.S. is always ready to help other countries, but we did almost nothing for days when it happened on our own soil. New Orleans is a big tourist attraction but that’s only what most people see. I want to show people how different it would be if those memories of Katrina followed them everywhere they went as it is for the people of New Orleans. The intent is not to discourage people from going to New Orleans or any other area for that matter, but to give people an understanding of how citizens of New Orleans feel when they stop and take a look around their hometown and remember the events forgotten by most others.”

For more information about this exhibit or about the Jozart Center for the Arts, please contact board president Carla Anderton at carla@jozart.com.