Demolition of Exhibit BE, New Orleans' graffiti masterpiece, has begun as buildings razed

The forlorn recreation center at the derelict DeGaulle Manor apartment complex on the West Bank is mostly gone. It was demolished in the past few days as the city gradually eliminates one of New Orleans' worst examples of blight.

If there’s a reason to regret the disappearance of the long-unused, 60-year-old building, it’s that it contained a suite of remarkable graffiti-style murals by Brandan “BMIKE” Odums, one of the city's most celebrated artists. The indoor murals of Black civil rights heroes — Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Muhammad Ali and others — were painted inside.

BMIKE’s murals were at the heart of the 2014 graffiti masterpiece "Exhibit BE." The collaborative painting by dozens of aerosol artists spanned the faces of two five-story apartment buildings as well as the two-story rec center. The majority of the outdoor "Exhibt BE" murals are still intact.

"Exhibit BE" was a sensation. Ten years ago, thousands of visitors crowded into the ruined apartment complex to behold the enormous, politically pointed painting, which is arguably the most significant single New Orleans artwork of the 21st century.

Since then, the gargantuan painting has been largely forgotten, though it survived remarkably well.

Originally called the Bridge Plaza, the 15-acre DeGaulle Manor complex opened in 1963 and closed in 2012. Since 2017, the cluster of high-rise buildings has been owned by landlord Josh Bruno, through a limited liability corporation.

A fire in September 2023 damaged some of the complex, and in November, the property appeared on the city's "Dirty Dozen" list of high-profile blighted properties slated for either demolition or rehabilitation.

Now, the teardown has begun. Some of the smaller buildings in the development — like the recreation center — have been razed and trucked away, while the tallest structures remain. The Evergreen Supermarket stands across Sandra Drive from the forbidding DeGaulle Manor, which is enveloped by long-neglected foliage.

Abdel Judeh, owner of the store, said he thinks the demolition “is a very good move for the neighborhood.” Potential customers, he said “are scared when they come around the store,” because “it looks like a jungle, really."

Judeh said that people often use the unoccupied property to dispose of debris. “They make it look like a Dumpster over there,” he said. Not far from the store, the ground was scorched black where a bonfire of tires had burned.

Judea said he would like to see something vital replace the DeGaulle Manor. “I hope they develop something in here,” he said, “townhouses or something.”