From The Historic New Orleans Collection, “DeDeaux, a New Orleans native and one of America’s pioneering new media artists, employs her visionary sense of space, light and media to transform the Brulatour Courtyard into “Goddess Fortuna and Her Dunces In An Effort To Make Sense Of It All.” Inspired by John Kenney Toole’s classic New Orleans novel, “A Confederacy of Dunces,” the exhibition celebrates the 30th anniversary of the novel’s Pulitzer Prize, exploring its underlying philosophical themes.

In DeDeaux’s installation, the eccentric and tangential mind of Reilly escapes the pages of the book, usurping the courtyard through a number of sculptures, prints and sound and lighting installations recalling iconography from the novel. Those familiar with the book will recognize the Lucky Dog hotdog cart, the Levy pants revolt and Reilly’s filthy rumpled bed.

DeDeaux set the interpretation within the context of contemporary New Orleans pop culture using two icons of modern New Orleans—bounce artists Big Freedia and Katey Red. The rappers alternately play the Goddess Fortuna in a video projected on an exterior wall.”