Art for art's sake

[EnglishRose]

Conchaga -they're great, I love the colours, so rich, thanks for sharing

 

[Conchaga]

I can't believe the detailing on the costumes! Who won this year?

Yeah, the one with all of the rhinestones and the gold whistle is my favorite. He was on a white horse that had its hooves painted gold. It was friggin awesome. I don't know who won.

The skull mask and the hung - over girl in the jeans and lace are so evocative of Mardi Gras!

The Skull was a detail of a float.

The hung-over girl and I had been out in the sun on Canal and Bourbon street for hours (the photo was taken around 4 or 5 pm and we'd been there since 11am) drinking. If you'll notice, she's got some really large, fancy beads around her neck. You can imagine what she did to get those! Anyway, she really wasn't hung-over. She was falling asleep drunk. So was I.

I get a real feel for being out on the streets from this series of shots...but what's going on in the first scene with the fires going?

That was the staging area on the corner of Napoleon and Magazine streets. The costumed man in red was the MC of the Knights of Chaos (otherwise known as the Knights of Colombus) Krewe. He was inspecting the flambos before the parade. The flambos are traditionally the slaves or the servants who held the torches to light the path in the early days of the parades. On the routes they dance and perform with their torches. They're so cool!

Good eye.

Thanks!