Mississippi Power loans paintings to Waveland Ground Zero Museum

Mississippi Power is sharing stories of survival and recovery from Hurricane Katrina at the Waveland Ground Zero Museum. The company today put on long-term loan two paintings by Mississippi artist H.C. Porter and announced its sponsorship of the H.C. Porter Exhibit at the museum.

The paintings, The Bradley and The Chair, have been displayed in Mississippi Power headquarters in Gulfport since 2007 and were part of Porter’s traveling exhibit Backyards and Beyond: Mississippians and Their Stories, which documented South Mississippians working to put their lives back together after the 2005 storm.

“Mississippi Power employees experienced the devastation of Katrina and shared the determination of our neighbors to rebuild our homes and communities. We are proud to share these paintings that reflect the ‘can do’ spirit of our employees and customers,” said Ed Holland, Mississippi Power CEO.

Museum administrator Lili Stahler-Murphy knew Mississippi Power was one of the original sponsors of the Backyards and Beyond exhibit and asked company leaders to consider sharing the paintings.
“Mississippi Power realized the significance of the museum,” Stahler-Murphy said. “We’re pleased that more people will be able to see the paintings now.”

The H.C. Porter exhibit at the Waveland Ground Zero Museum will open in spring 2015. The museum is located in the former Waveland School at 335 Coleman Avenue; it is the only city owned building and the only structure on Coleman Ave. to survive Hurricane Katrina.