This is the second image in a series of self-portraits I'll be minting every now and then. I've made it a point to try and capture some memories of being at these locations, dating from 2008 to the present. These self-portraits will primarily serve as my personal collection of memorabilia as time goes on, but I'll also list a few here and there to keep it interesting.

Once Upon A Time In Buras

An interpretation of the Decal by die with the most likes. A symbol of permissionless creativity. Series Nineteen.

Decal by die with the most likes #89

BiggieSmols

The Old Spanish Trail was a roadway linking California to Florida. Originally described as the “route first traveled in American by Spanish Conquistadors more than four hundred years ago,” construction began in 1915. 67 counties across 8 states were linked by this route which can still be traveled today.

Old Spanish Trail

In my journey through life, I have come to embrace the complex beauty and challenges of growing up in "Cancer Alley," the 85-mile stretch along the Mississippi River that I call home. (160+ miles if communities south of New Orleans were included) 

Oil refineries and petrochemical plants cast their shadows over the community, where the cancer risk is over 50 times the national average. Yet, amidst this adversity, there lies a rich history and unwavering spirit that binds us together. By documenting the beauty and struggle that has shaped our unique community, and through my experiences, I strive to share the story of our people and our legacy.

My Hometown Legacy: Embracing Cancer Alley

What are "Ghost Trees," and why do they look that way?

During hurricanes, saltwater is pushed inland from the Gulf of Mexico. When the saltwater penetrates freshwater ecosystems, the trees either evolve to live in brackish waters or die off, leaving a ghost tree behind.

Ghost Trees

Developed in the 1920s, the sugar cane harvester soon became an agricultural game changer. A Popular Mechanics magazine from 1930 described the harvester as doing the work that once required 150 people. This image was taken in 2017 in Louisiana's River Parishes.

Sweet Tooth

This image was taken in 2016 near an area called The Rigolets. There have been many times over the years where I see a boat or inanimate object in a scene and it almost feels like there's a character looking back. Maybe it was all that Thomas the Train I read as a kid.

The Slumbering Shrimp Boat

This is the 2nd image of a series taken at Harlem Plantation.

I grew up along a winding river road, with my childhood home rooted between two plantations, spaced two miles apart. It wasn't until my adolescence that I truly began to comprehend the horrific role these majestic mansions played in the southern states. Through my photography, I have long documented the love-hate relationship I've experienced growing up in the deep south, while illuminating its challenging realities.

This photo was taken in 2017.

Harlem Plantation II

There's a certain irony in playing at parks where the word "plant" has more than one meaning.

Parks and Recreation

Biggie Smols 1/1s-Manifold

The final mint of 2023, "Treading Water," is a scene that captures the landscape of present-day Des Allemands.

Treading Water

This image was taken in March of 2015, after the Mississippi Valley experienced its wettest winter in 124 years. Melting snow and excessive rain up north made its way down the Mississippi River. As the river approached flood stage (17 ft at the New Orleans gauge), the decision was made to open the Bonnet Carre Spillway, which is a flood control operation connecting the river to the lake.

The mixing of the muddy river water with the lake's brackish water is an event that can be seen from space. This photo was taken right along the Mississippi River banks at the Bonnet Carre Spillway. This piece also serves as the beginning of a new chapter—the decision to release my work under my name, Andre Messina.

Flood Stage

Waveforms

"If they go, we go." This piece combines the macro photography of Hustletrees with the Waveform code of Andre Messina to create a new piece that reflects the luminance value of the original "source."

Lysis of Apis

Unscramble the sentence to learn the origin of this piece:

life symbolic there what as is in so things much can the with pain, many is so much beauty in as is cause rose the case

Andre-Messina

Andre-Messina

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