KUDZU IN THE HEAT /

+DEDICATION+

>to gilbert dufouchard degruy, father of degruy< 

>genealogy who first introduced me to that<

+(GRATITUDE W/ LOVE+

+FOR THEIR SUPPORT)+

>fascinating subject & my brother walker<

>who has been ill in the hospital recently<

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+JEAN BAPTISTE VERLOIN deGRUY+

>cleared the impenetrable cane along bayou barataria<

>in the jungle south of new orleans while living in<

>a french tropics house on an indian mound that<

+(GROWING INDIGO WHILE+

+PLANTING SUGAR CANE)+

>his de monberaud bride had inherited after her<

>first husband, de la croix, had passed away<

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+THE INDIAN MOUND HOUSE+

>(barataria was dangerous<

>w/ wild animals & pirates)<

+WAS LIKE "LACOUR"HOUSE+ 

 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+GIANT PALMETTOS+
>25 ft high along w/ oaks & cypress dominated<
>the thick vegetation while alligator multitudes<
>sunned themselves on the barataria river bank<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+ALLIGATORS GREW LONGER+
+THEN PALMETTOS 25' HT. IN+
>(alligators teeth were<
>sharp as metal razors)<

+18 C LOUISIANA JUNGLES+

 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >there is an early french tropic house at<
>mandeville i have photographed that<
+(GRUY INDIAN MOUND+
+HOUSE was LIKE THIS)+
>looked much like this lacour house<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >new orleans was officially colony of the<
>french west indies & the african people<
+(NOLA WAS CHILD OF+
+/ FRENCH W. INDIES)+
>had artistic talent & construction ability<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>radiant color reflected the rich indigenous<
>folk culture from french west africa into<
+(NOLA FOLK CULTURE+
+REFLECTS RADIANCE)+
>vernacular  contemporary soda labels<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >many hours we spent looking for remnants<
>of my grandmothers french creole culture<
+(FRENCH CREOLE ART>+
+TOUGH & PERSISTANT)+
>which was found in some remote locals<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >african okra was a vital essence in the daily<
>ritual of preparing french-african seafood<
+(OKRA ESSENCE IN+
+SEAFOOD GUMBO)+
>gumbo w/ its amazing organic powers<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^                                                                                                                          

 >our mother and older brother both had<
>seering metaphysical talent in the arts<
+(COSMIC CONSCIOUS+
+OCCULT MANIFESTS)+
>and in visionary occult prognostics<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >in the 1990s i discovered the poignant photos<
>of artist william christenberry born into a poor<
+(WE SHARED EMPATHY+
+/ IN ORGANIC ISSUES)+
>cotton sharecropping family in rural alabama<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^                

 >william christenberry and i shared some<
>correspondence and i sent him a packet<
+(CHRISTENBERRY is now+
+A PROF. IN WASH. D.C.)+
>of my mail art w/ its french rural spirit<
>(thanks to cousin neal for his packets)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >the prolific vital persistent growth of asian<
>kudzu vine caused alabama highway dept<
+(KUDZU "EATS" SMALL+
+ALABAMA HOUSES)+
>to plant in rural areas BUT it takes over<
>(it grows so fast one can see it grow)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >(the original house above<
>& sculpture model below)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >william christenberry is so empathetic w/ his<
>alabama folk culture he crafted sculptures as<
+(RURAL HOUSE SCULPTURE+
+OF W'M CHRISTENBERRY)+
>based on rural alabama sharecropper houses<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >the simplicity of some of the rural alabama<
>houses reflects a classic vision related to<
+(CLASSIC SIMPLICITY+
+/RURAL ALA. FIELDS)+
>bauhaus principals & modern concepts<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                                      
>long before i met christenberry & his work<
>in alabama i was documenting nola creole<
+(NOLA ORGANIC RUINS+
+NEW GROWTH RITUAL)+
>ruinous houses & making collage graphics<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+GOOGLE : WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY+
>(plant kingdom vital kudzu meets<
>organic ruins in rural alabama<
>radiant w/ soda sign color)<
+FOR HIS TALENTED ORGANIC VISION+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
eugene ray, mfa, architect
professor emeritus, sdsu