A Revolution on Canvas

BMike Odums is using his art to amplify unheard voices and preserve New Orleans's vibrant legacy

- Kimberly Wilson

I’m feeling hopeful,” Brandan “BMike” Odums tells me during our brief but impactful phone call—38 minutes and 45 seconds, to be exact. His optimism threads throughout our conversation—and though I don’t have roots in New Orleans, or in his particular area of the creative arts, I can’t help but relate. I immediately feel hopeful too.

“I think art has the ability to help us see further down the road than what's in front of us,” Odums reflects. “That has been a true ink stain of where I am right now—just thinking about how because of art, I can imagine alternatives to the present.”

This concept of “imagining alternatives” touches everything in Odums’s expansive body of work. If you’ve ever been to New Orleans, you’ve heard talk of an artist known as “BMike”; he and his work have become almost synonymous with the city itself. And for good reason. Over the past decade, he has transformed himself from an underground street artist to one of the most consequential voices on the New Orleans art scene. Those massive murals you may have seen, wondering who was behind them? Yup, that’s him. His work celebrates Black historical figures, as well as important moments in the African-American story that are often overlooked in mainstream narratives. He manages to provide a breath of fresh air even as he offers stark reminders of the past, giving context in today’s tumultuous times.

When I ask him to describe his beloved city in just three words, Odums pauses thoughtfully. “Palimpsest. Alchemy. Community,” he says finally.

He breaks down what he means by