On June 24, 1943, Dimitri Fouquet’s life began as Wayne Fouquet on a wooden
kitchen table in Algiers Point on the West Bank of the murky Mississippi River.
Across the river, Algiers shares the same thick humid air in which New Orleans
Voodoo folklore was born through whispered stories about Baron Samedi, the
original Dr. John, and Marie Laveau; two spirits Fouquet would capture in oil.
“The Algiers Ferry” by Dimitri Fouquet
“The Algiers Courthouse” by Dimitri Fouquet
He grew up in “The Point” with his cousin Ronnie Barosse, who would later be
known as Ronnie Baron, the well-known New Orleans pianist and singer.
According to Dimitri, the boys would strip down on the levee to swim in the
Mississippi River so their mothers wouldn’t catch them with wet clothes. As
wild teens, they would sneak into the church, Holy Name of Mary, and light
their cigarettes and joints off of the candles for the poor. Ronnie would run up
on the altar and bellow from the pulpit like an old Baptist preacher.
Although, Dimitri came from a family of artists, it was Ronnie’s grandfather, an
elder artist named PaPete, who became his artistic mentor. At PaPete’s house,
Ronnie would play his grandfather’s piano while Dimitri watched the artist
paint. PaPete also painted in Jackson Square in the French Quarter. Young
Dimitri spent many days in the Square observing the master artist working in
the old European style. The fact that he managed to make a living as an artist
was something that impressed Dimitri very much. He was a determined student
and soon learned the techniques of the brushstroke and how to mix paints to
achieve desired colors. Furthing his art education, Dimitri, an avid reader,
studied the techniques of the old masters.
“Supper at Emmaus” by W. Fouquet
Even in recreating masterpieces or familiar settings, he would often paint
additions or alterations to make them his own.
Dimitri’s artwork also reflected his many diverse interests and beliefs.
He painted original artwork of a novena for Mary’s Helpers. The
resulting prayer cards from those paintings can still be found today
around New Orleans. Recently, one turned up in the men’s room of St.
Joe’s Bar on Magazine Street. After converting to Greek Orthodoxy
and taking the name Dimitri, he began painting the religious icons of
the Orthodox tradition. He painstakingly produced them as close to
the originals as possible. He bought rabbit skin glue, the exact wood
boards, and the type of paints used by the monks. Dimitri used garlic
cloves to adhere the gold leaf just as they had. For him, it was an
exercise of both art and faith. He was honored when his icons were
blessed on the altar of his church, Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Always the New Orleans artist, his most enduring subjects are taken from his
hometown. He painted buggy drivers, absinthe drinkers, vendors in the French
Market, many French Quarter scenes, Congo Square, and of course, Baron
Samedi and Marie Laveau. It was Ronnie and Dimitri’s old friend Mac
Rebennack, a.k.a. Dr. John, who used these two latter subjects as the artwork
for his CD “Creole Moon."
"Congo Square" by Dimitri Fouquet
The majority of his artwork was in the Realism tradition using oils, but
for fun he did several pieces that were stylized and comical reflecting
counter-cultural themes, back street blues jams, and beatnik
decadence. As with all of his paintings, these were full of life; one
could almost taste the red wine and smell the pot smoke. Dimitri read
the great works of Zen Buddhism with the same intensity and respect
as he did the books of his own faith. He used Sumi ink for his Zen ink
drawings of monks and cats.
“Ravi Shankar” by Dimitri Fouquet
“Two Patriarchs Harmonizing Their Minds” by Dimitri Fouquet
Like many New Orleanians, Dimitri was attracted to light and dark; good and
evil. He was equally amused if someone mistook him as a devil worshipper or a
Russian priest. In this unique culture, there exists no contradiction in embracing
both seemingly conflicting sides. There is decadence in Carnival and Mardi
Gras before the fast of Lent, and then the feast again at Easter. It is the custom
to celebrate even in death, as in jazz funerals. Although complex, there is no
inconsistency in a man who painted Voodoo deities, pot-smoking beatniks and
musicians, strippers, saints, and the Madonna and Child.
Dimitri died suddenly at the young age of 59 on August 22, 2002.
Excerpts taken from “Artist Unknown” by Kristin K. Fouquet ©2005 by Storyhouse (https://www.storyhouse.org/kristin9.html)
Text and photographs ©2023 Kristin Fouquet
Comments
Post a Comment