Waveforms

Andre Messina

Waveforms

The Festivities

The bright lights of the floats illuminate the night, casting a dream-like glow over the lively city. Floats move down the crowded street, leaving trails of color in their wake. In the midst of "The Festivities" I patiently observe, experiencing the vibrant and dynamic celebration that is at the heart of this iconic event called Mardi Gras.

The Festivities is my first 1 of 1 release and marks the beginning of my journey to share my "irl" work with my web3 family.

The title of this piece along with the reserve price pay homage to The Memes by 6529. That is where my web3 art journey began & I'm forever thankful for that.

The lonely tug has slumbered through the rising tides and hurricanes for years. It now bears witness to the erosion of it's neighboring lands.

The Lonely Tug

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.

Where I lay my head, the stars can only be seen along the horizon. Refineries dominate the night sky with bright lights, gas flares flicker, and distillation towers create their own low-lying clouds. That is, until the moon rises.

The Old Spanish Trail

Blue Bonnet

"Cops is Watching"

This photo was taken the night of September 30th 2021. While setting up our tripods in the thick weeds, my friend & I saw two police officers pass by. When they started to slow the vehicle I knew they were going to u-turn the first opportunity they had. I took that time to set my focus on the house, guessed a shutter speed, (it was quite dark) & waited.

As they pulled up I pressed the shutter button on my intervalometer, triggering a 10 second exposure. I set the intervalometer on the tripod, & walked towards the officers as the night sky lit up in flashes of blue & red. This is the result of that 10 second seconds.

For anyone born in the late 80's or early 90's, "Cops is Watching" was a reference to a song/lyric on Da Drought & The Carter by Lil Wayne. If you were a kid at the time, you've likely heard it.

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 as I stood on the levee bank along the river. It was well into the night and a passing tugboat was using its spotlight to locate a barge near the levee. While the camera's shutter was open, the light from the tugboat's spotlight swept across the facade of the house creating a unique lighting I've yet to recreate.

My Hometown Legacy: Embracing Cancer Alley

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.

Long Live the Kingfish

Long Live The Kingfish is a piece created in 2016, capturing the bridge that was once despised by many drivers in the New Orleans area due to its narrow lanes and lack of shoulders. Each lane was originally 9 feet wide and shifted inwards 1 1/2 feet as you neared the top of the bridge. I can remember driving over it as a kid, with family members gripping the steering wheel tighter than ever. Locals have an old joke that more prayers have been said atop the bridge than in all of the churches in the area.

MSY

On an October night in 2016, I stood along the fenced-off interstate that runs perpendicular to the airport's runway, watching as 18-wheelers rushed by and planes left their presence in the darkened sky.

Super Swamp Bros

I've seen a lot of fishing camps in my lifetime but this one takes the crown. This photo was taken in 2023.

When the Snow Melts

This photo was taken on a chilly March day in 2015. When the snow melts up north, that water flows down the Mississippi River, eventually reaching New Orleans. Anything that floats takes the journey down south, and trees are no exception.

Surviving

"Surviving" serves as a hat-tip to Tjo and their "survive at all cost" meme card, which, for me, has become a subtle reminder to check in, take a breath, and reframe if needed.

The NFT space is a melting pot of cultures, artists, collectors, degens, and a million different PFP/pseudonym variations that we use to make up our Web3 identities.

Sometimes it's easy to forget the human element of the people behind the cartoon PFPs, but Tjo highlights them. All that to say, thank you.

Ghost Trees

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.

Shrimpin' Ain't Easy

I could've sworn there was a sign at the boat launch that read "Pepe's Sunken Palace: The Coziest Shrimp Boat on the Gulf Coast."

Taken in 2020 about an hour south of New Orleans.

Grand Bayou

I truly wish I knew the back story on this one. The truth is I just happened to stumble on it while driving down some back roads south of New Orleans.

The irony of the boat being so close to shore always reminds me of the "3 feet from gold" story. This photo was taken in March of 2023.

Harlem Plantation II

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 III

This is the third 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.

Plaquemines

This photo was taken in 2021, after Hurricane Ida, about an hour south of New Orleans. Plaquemines Parish has been one of the hardest-hit areas in terms of coastal erosion, oil spills, and flooding. It also houses miles of gas pipelines that traverse land, water, and marshes.

Sweet Tooth

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.

gm Grand Isle

This photo was taken in 2016 during a trip to Grand Isle, which is one of the southernmost places in Louisiana.

Louisiana Hay Bales

This image was taken about an hour south of New Orleans in a community called Dulac. The Name Dulac means from or of the lake. This area is constantly fighting the effects of coastal erosion.

Le Cardiff

The softness of this photo is the result of condensation on the front lens element, a.k.a. LA humidity. The photo was taken along Bayou Lafourche on a night in 2023. At the time, I had no idea the lens had fogged up; it was too dark to see. The result gave an effect that Academy Award-winning cinematographer Jack Cardiff famously used by breathing on the lens's front element to create a 'misty' transition in 'A Matter of Life and Death.' Here's to Jack Cardiff.

Once Upon A Time In Plaquemines

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

Once Upon A Time In Buras

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.

Flood Stage

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.

Plants and Recreation

There's a bit of irony that goes along with playing at parks where the word "plant" has multiple meanings. This shot was taken west of New Orleans along the 85-mile stretch of oil refineries known as "Cancer Alley."

The Slumbering Shrimp Boat

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 Line

This piece pays homage to The Line, where I was first given the opportunity to display my work in Web3. Lfffline!!!

Desire

Life is a blur, don’t get lost in the minutia. Desire offers a reminder that the people closest to you will always matter most. Hug your family, hug your friends, and cherish those who matter most.

Written with G.W.S in mind.

Treading Water

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

Des Allemands, translated, means "of the Germans." In the early 1700s, German settlers began arriving in this area, which later became known as Louisiana's "German Coast." I grew up along the German Coast, and documenting these communities has created some of the most meaningful experiences.

"If you’ve ever opened Photoshop you’ve likely seen a Histogram. Waveforms are the video equivalent. I’ve stared at waveforms for countless hours throughout my career & have always been fascinated by the stories they tell."

• Andre Messina, 2023