As New Orleans enters peak drum-major season, the “Battle of the Bands” exhibition at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art brings a vivid display of HBCU marching bands to the forefront.
On view until August 10, this exhibition by local artist and educator Keith Duncan captures the dynamic energy of 15 Historically Black College and University marching bands. Through the use of paint and fabric, Duncan heroically stylizes the performers, blending their cultural significance with a superhero-esque flair.
Visitors coming on March 5, the day the Ogden reopens after its traditional Mardi Gras break, might still feel the echo of the music and the vibrant energy of the bands, their performances reverberating under the Pontchartrain Expressway. The spectacle of the bands in motion will be brought back to life each time you visit.
Keith Duncan describes the drum majors in his paintings as “African Warriors dancing in front of the king or queen,” evoking pageantry and a sense of royal splendor. The bright colors, acrobatic poses, and both focused and joyous expressions of the figures are reminiscent of comic book superheroes, a key influence on Duncan’s artistic eye. He recalls his childhood, collecting comic books with his brother—“I was Superman, he was Batman… I was Thor, and he loved Iron Man.”
Another key influence on his work comes from the strikingly modern designs of the Gee’s Bend quilters of Alabama, along with his time as a student at Louisiana State University, where he often attended Southern University football games—not for the game itself, but for the halftime performances.
The paintings are done on drop-cloth fabric, a nod to Duncan’s own high school experiences painting banners for football games. “These banners always stayed with me,” Duncan reflects. “They were an easy way to store work, but also a chance to break away from traditional framing, which I never wanted to be a part of.”
True to his desire for innovation, the figures in the “Battle of the Bands” series seem to float above the background, often depicted in groups of three, with musicians and dancers soaring above more grounded figures. Each painting includes the school’s crest and features a standalone image of the band’s drum major.
In Duncan’s words, “We know what the drum major stands for. He’s the leader. They conduct the band, keep it in line, and get the crowd excited. They play a major role.”
Duncan’s association with the Ogden Museum goes beyond this exhibition. His towering drum major is featured on the museum’s lakeside exterior wall, and he has long been a part of the Ogden’s education department, as well as the wider New Orleans art community. Bradley Sumrall, the Ogden’s curator, states, “Keith has been such a part of the community for years, and when this body of work arose, we knew we had to do something with it.”
Sumrall emphasizes the cultural importance of the figures Duncan portrays: “These are more than just musicians. These are cultural icons.” Each painting does not simply capture a single moment on the field, but distills the entire performance into one canvas, giving viewers an experience of the event, not just a snapshot.
The exhibit catalog, featuring all of Duncan’s works along with essays and an interview, is available for purchase at the Ogden’s museum store and online. After closing in New Orleans, the exhibition will tour to institutions near some of the HBCUs depicted in Duncan’s paintings, thanks to the Art Bridges Foundation.
Sumrall concludes, “HBCUs have never been more important than they are right now. The power of this subject matter, combined with Keith’s artwork, speaks volumes.”
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