Two abstract paintings vanished from the Healing Center on St. Claude Avenue recently, leaving behind empty frames and a video of the apparent theft.
Now, while the artist and the center’s director puzzle over the reason for the theft, the surveillance video is circulating on the Internet — inviting the public to identify the man whose face is clearly seen as he removes the artwork.
Executive director Denise Herron noticed Wednesday that the paintings had disappeared from a nook in the center’s free library. A look back through the center’s security video footage showed a man lingering on the library’s couch on May 22, examining the artworks in the room. The man then peeled the paintings from their frames and apparently made off with them.
Artist Carrie Beene visits the library nook where her two paintings once hung
The Healing Center houses a grocery store, gymnasium, nightclub, voodoo botanica, art gallery and a cozy library. The library, Herron said, “is a place for chillin’.’” It’s decorated with artworks, but nobody ever predicted someone would take anything. The blank, black frames left behind weren’t immediately visible to people coming and going in the building.
Herron filed a police report but hasn’t yet spoken to the New Orleans Police.
The missing artworks were expressive abstractions, composed of brushy patches of blue, purple and yellow — think early Jackson Pollock. Artist Carrie Beene, who created the paintings, said she valued each at about $2,000.
Two of artist Denise Herron’s abstract paintings were apparently stolen form the walls of Healing Center on St. Claude Avenue.
Beene, who moved to New Orleans from New York City five years ago, is a bit ambivalent about the loss of the art. “I guess that’s flattering,” she said. After all, the alleged thief had somehow connected with her paintings, so much so that he wanted to own them.
But, Beene said, she definitely wants the paintings back.
“We don’t want artists to be afraid to put their work here,” she said.
Two of artist Denise Herron’s abstract paintings were apparently stolen form the walls of Healing Center on St. Claude Avenue.
This isn’t the artist’s first brush with thieves.
“I’ve had a lot of art stolen in my life,” she said. Years ago, when she lived in Haiti, someone broke into her studio and cleaned her out. “People love to steal my stuff. They only buy it from time to time,” she said philosophically.
Several more of Beene’s works are currently on display in the Healing Center art gallery.
An unknown person removes artworks from their frames in the Healing Center.
The security video of the apparent theft is circulating on social media, in hopes of identifying the alleged culprit. Beene said she’s somewhat sympathetic. “The guy,” she said, “somebody needs to take him by the hand.”
