Who let the dog in? The marble halls of the New Orleans Museum of Art have been turned into a kennel for the most famous dog in America. George Rodrigue’s iconic Blue Dog is on display in all his many transformations, from loup garou to anti-David Duke political statement. “Rodrigue’s Louisiana: Forty Years of Cajuns, Blue Dogs, and Beyond Katrina” opened March 1 at NOMA to rave reviews from art critics like the Times-Picayune’s Doug McCash, who came out of the closet as a Rodrigue fan. There are scoffers who denounce the Blue Dog’s popularity as kitsch; some feel a soul connection to the penetrating stare of the pup; others cheer on the artist for his success in a society that doesn’t ordinarily value art. Whatever your stance, this is a blockbuster show for the New Iberia native and a great opportunity to see some of his early, haunting, pre-Blue Dog work. To watch Rodrigue paint a Blue Dog, click here .
“Rodrigue’s Louisiana: Forty Years Of Cajuns, Blue Dogs, and Beyond Katrina”, a 40-year retrospective, is open Wednesdays, noon to 8 p.m.; Thursdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., through June 8, at the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park, (504) 658-4100.