A Master Behind the Mardi Gras Floats:   
Meet Multi-Media Artist Jordan Ivanov   

 Mardi Gras Happens.  It’s an accumulation of a year of work, years of study and practice, from our very youngest to the eldest artists, musicians, dancers from all over Louisiana that brings the thrill and joie de vie that makes New Orleans one of the most special, distinct and irresistible cities in the world. Alive with the richness of culture, music, dance, food, color and pleasure it is like no other. From all walks of life, we celebrate together, prepare and look forward to every festival and carnival with great anticipation. What you see, what you enjoy, what you do. 

 Behind some of this kaleidoscope of color and imagery that we ooh and ahh over as the floats roll out into the streets of New Orleans for Mardi Gras and other occasions, capturing the imagination and excitement of all with a myriad of delightful colors, themes, timeless iconic story animation characters, real life celebrities, is Artist Jordan Ivanov, paintbrush in hand.  Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler.  Always.

 International artist Jordan Ivanov is one of the many creatives that has come to New Orleans and immersed himself fully becoming one of the ingredients of our wonderful gumbo that makes New Orleans a city full of texture and wonder. Jordan Ivanov came to New Orleans more than twenty years ago from Bulgaria. He has lived through with us some of New Orleans most momentous times and challenges. Jordan has been a production artist for the Mardi Gras Festival since 2003 and has been an active exhibiting artist locally, nationally and internationally for many years.  His large-scale public sculptures can be seen throughout locations in New Orleans and the greater area and in Europe and his paintings and sculpture are collected near and far.  Many of the floats you see and cherish during Mardi Gras were created and painted by the hands of Jordan Ivanov. 

 Jordan received his Master of Fine Arts in Design from the Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria. As an accomplished painter and sculptor, Jordan defies all boundaries and allows inspiration to lead him in the direction and material he chooses in each creation and allows the viewer to bring his or her own experience to the response and interpretation.  Evidence of local culture and the influence of New Orleans natural and industrial river environment surface in many works and no doubt play a role.  A surprise?  Absolutely not.  Not in a city where all things are possible and life merges, connects and reconnects. 

 On Exhibit and available on-site here includes a diverse range of sculpture by Jordan Ivanov including a series of recently completed large-scale sculpture where some material was drawn physically from the battered man-made metal debris swept up by the Mississippi River on to its muddy shore, then manipulated and reformed by the artist.  An interesting twist, the truer than real in all appearance “rock boulders” are masterfully hand-created and sculpted by Jordan. Enjoy!