Danny Barker, oil on linen painted from life in 1965 by Noel Rockmore; Quiana Lynell, oil on linen painted from life in 2019 by Emilie Rhys.

The New Orleans Jazz Museum will debut a new exhibition, “New Orleans Music Observed: The Art of Noel Rockmore and Emilie Rhys” on Thursday, January 30, 2020. This new exhibition brings together for the first time the musical portraits of acclaimed artists Noel Rockmore and Emilie Rhys.

The exhibition opens with a reception at the New Orleans Jazz Museum, Thursday, January 30, 2020, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The public is invited to this free opening, which will feature live music by Helen Gillet and Doug Garrison, a cash bar, and more.

The Late Noel Rockmore and his daughter Emilie Rhys are both renowned for their portraits of musicians in New Orleans. Rockmore (1928 – 1995) and Rhys (1956 – ) both have used their unique vision not only to paint musicians but also to reveal their personalities and ways of approaching and making their music. This exhibit that pairs them together for the first time will also be supplemented by the holdings of the New Orleans Jazz Museum which has the most extensive collection of early jazz artifacts in the world.