StudioBE is a warehouse art space founded by artist Brandan “BMike” Odums located in New Orleans, Louisiana. The collection of art at StudioBE speaks to Black culture and history through its depiction of important historical figures and everyday local people. The expansive space allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the art surrounding them.
BMike first opened StudioBE in 2016 in the Bywater after finding success with his first show, Project BE, an illegal art experience in the Lower 9th Ward drawing attention to neglect in the community trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina.
StudioBE primarily functions as a space to view murals of John Lewis and Fannie Lou Hamer, it is also a space for local artists to have a platform. During the pandemic, BMike and StudioBE staff worked with local youth to create their ‘Radical Freedom Dreams,’ an art installation that brought their ideas of a better world to life.
The Black community has used art as a form of resilience and resistance for centuries. From poetry, to hairstyles, to mural street art—there are so many ways that Black artists have created spaces of resistance, resilience, and joy for themselves and the community. Spaces that showcase Black art, like StudioBE, are important and necessary–for healing, expression, grief, connection, and joy.
Sankofa Impact has been visiting StudioBE on our Pilgrimage to the South since 2017. This stop during our time in New Orleans celebrates Black artists, and tells the story of resistance and resilience through creativity. During Black History Month and throughout the year, Black art is a reminder of our collective history, expression of current events, and hope for the future.
