An exhibition featuring the range of art being created in the Neutral Strip will open on Saturday, June 17 at the Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center.

“Four Artists from the Neutral Strip” is an 80 piece collection featuring the art, photography and mixed-media installations of Joey Governale, Isabelle-Massary Bursh, Tony McDonald and Rickie Smith. Together, they have a combined 160 years of art experience, said McDonald.

The Neutral Strip is composed of the western border of Louisiana, and was the disputed territory between the United States and Spain after the Louisiana Purchase.

McDonald said that this area (No Man’s Land) became a “haven for outlaws, pioneers and diverse cultural groups.”

The flush amount of diversity includes Native Americans, African Americans, Scot-Irish settlers and Spaniards. After the creation of Fort Johnson, many other nationalities were added to the mix.

“Today, he is the cultural poor stepchild of Louisiana… not Acadian, not French, not New Orleans and not wholly Catholic,” he said.

With a diverse populace comes diverse art, and that is what “Four Artists from the Neutral Strip” aims to express.

One of the side-effects of living in “No Man’s Land” is a lack of access to economic and artistic opportunity. “Living in the part of Louisiana is sometimes difficult and being an artist in an area that is economically depressed with minimal cultural activity is a real challenge. However, there are several wonderful examples of local artists feeding on the landscape, the cultures and the challenges of being a creative person in The Neutral Strip.”

The artists came together 12 years ago to create a non-profit artists space in the Leesville Main Street District. Now, Leesville serves as an artistic epicenter for West Central Louisiana.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Neutral Strip, the exhibition was hosted at the Carrefour 2000 Hall in Le Grau du Roi, France.

Additionally, it  has been displayed in Gallery One Eleven in Leesville and the Alexandria Museum of Art.

“Four Artists from the Neutral Strip” will be available for viewing until August 19.

An opening reception will be hosted on June 17, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

“Wonder and Delight: The Life Work of M. Antoon,” featuring the art of Lake Charles artist Melinda Antoon Cormier, will also be celebrated at the opening reception. This exhibition will be on display until July 15.

The opening ceremony is open and free to the public. There will be light refreshments and live music by saxophonist Marcus Davis.