In The Music Box, New Orleans Residents Hear Hope

The sound sculptures that make up The Music Box were constructed from the materials of an 18th-century Creolecottage that stood on this site in New Orleans’ 9th War

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, it left behind a city full of destroyed homes. Despite ongoing rebuilding efforts, thousands of blighted properties remain. Now, a group of artists is creating a structure that is part home, part musical instrument and part inspiration of what can be made of these damaged properties.

These structures are an experimental first step toward building a fully functional musical house — named “Dithyrambalina” — that will be the headquarters and residency space for the New Orleans Airlift. The organization was created in the aftermath of Katrina to raise the profile of local artists, often through collaborations with more famous creators.