NADA Curated by Daonne Huff

Jay McKay is a self-taught artist and muralist from New Orleans, LA.

The choice of bold bright color palettes in his works signal both joy and hope, while exploring subject matters of childhood nostalgia, love, and the celebration of culture.

When McKay was 15, Hurricane Katrina changed his life forever. McKay and his family left home with intentions to return not knowing the severity of the storm. McKay was quickly forced out of his existing reality and introduced to experiences that made him level up.

“My only outlet was my art–this was all I had to keep my mind off the troubles of the storm, and the displacement of my family and friends. This body of work is personal, we all know the trauma that occurred during the storms and the flood, but we made the best of it” states McKay.

His use of bright colors is a nod to the resilience of New Orleans and that in spite of the disasters, the sky is still beautiful and the community continues to celebrate.