Photographer David Simpson opens his 30-year archive on Louisiana's rural Mardi Gras traditions.
Every year, as Ash Wednesday approaches, rural communities in Southwest Louisiana come alive with Mardi Gras courirs—spirited runs where costumed revellers embark on a captivating journey.
David Simpson, through his lens, captures the enchanting Mardi Gras in a photographic narrative, as they go from house to house, singing, dancing, and begging for ingredients to create a communal "gumbo" feast. The rich symbolism behind the costumes, from high-pointed conical hats parodying noble headdresses to handmade masks concealing identities with exaggerated facial features here, is a passionate portrayal of roles that mock authority, a tradition deeply rooted in Cajun and Creole heritages in a compiled archival work by David Simpson spanning over thirty years.
Amidst the festive quest and perhaps fueled by a bit of alcohol, the "Mardi Gras" participants find liberation from the restraints of everyday life, creating a gaudy pageant that is both raucous and jubilant based on rural traditions dating back to medieval times. This photography work stands as a homage to their time-honoured tradition.
From 1974 until his retirement in 2009, David Simpson was employed at Louisiana State University at Eunice, a two-year campus where he taught English and was also director of public relations, a position that involved extensive photography. In 1999, as a service to the community, he began taking photographs of Cajun and Zydeco musicians and rural Mardi Gras activities. His photographs have appeared in area newspapers, regional magazines, and tourism publications and have been included in books on Cajun and Zydeco music and Mardi Gras. In 2017, he received the Cajun French Music Association's Heritage Award. Simpson holds master's degrees in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and in journalism from Louisiana State University and a Ph.D. in English from Ohio State University.
