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Just Do It


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Published: Sep 21, 2006

Runs through Oct. 9, The Arts Scene Gallery, 530 E. Union St., West Chester, 610-644-6555

Last August, Hurricane Katrina made landfall at the Louisiana/Mississippi state line. It quickly became one of the deadliest, most costly natural disasters in American history.

West Chester photographer and engineer Dave Lakatos was in Louisiana the day after Katrina hit, working with a company that pumped water out of the city. During his four-month stay, he took more than 22,000 photos documenting the devastation.

"I've never been in a place where you could stand almost anywhere and turn 360 degrees and everything was broken," says Lakatos.

"After Katrina: Impact and Recovery" displays 40 of Lakatos' best shots. The exhibition was created to raise funds for NOLA's ArtEgg Arts Center, which was destroyed by the hurricane. Although the exhibition is free, patrons are encouraged to make donations in support of ArtEgg.

Every Wednesday throughout the exhibition, Lakatos will be at the gallery to discuss his experiences and share photos that are not part of the display.

"[New Orleans is] one of my favorite cities in the country," says Lakatos. "But until they fix the heart and soul—the arts—it's not New Orleans."