Many think of the most famous celebration in New Orleans as an occasion to booze and bead-throw, but the Mardi Gras Indians—a group composed of different “tribes” of Black residents, many of Creole descent—take the festivities seriously. Months in advance, they’re hard at work hand-making ceremonial garments for a spectacular carnival event where each member dons flamboyant homemade suits that nod to Native American dress. 

After showing at Guilt By Association this past fall, the Duvernay Collective and Friends—a New Orleans group whose members hail from various Mardi Gras Indian tribes—are bringing more of their creations back to the gallery and the nearby Ace Hotel Brooklyn’s lobby. A dazzling hand-beaded tapestry depicting flora and fauna from the Louisiana swampland anchors the setup, which also features like-minded tapestries by artists Big Chief Pie and Big Queen Denise. “Our desire is to extend the artistic practice by giving our work a second life,” DuVernay says, “and making this heritage contemporary.”