Home Artist Programs Supported Artists Jade Thiraswas

Jade Thiraswas

New Orleans, Louisiana

A blanket of dense gray clouds hovers over a cemetery filled with above-ground tombs and rectangular ledgers covering in-ground burials. The white stone or faded, white-washed brick are separated by narrow strips of grass or dirt.

Cemetery Where My Cajun Ancestors Rest, Raceland, Louisiana

2023

Nighttime view across a dark body of water at a building on the far shoreline. A tall white bird stands in and is reflected in the still black water. A sandy bar with green growth spans the photograph close to us.

Bayou Scene at Night, Des Allemands, Louisiana

2023

We look over the shoulder and down at a hand holding photographs fanned out in this inlet print titled Dad holding his photographs that got water damaged by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, Louisiana. The person has medium-toned skin and wears a light blue shirt and khaki shorts. The photos include a black and white portrait of a young man, a baby, and a trio of people near a brick building.

Dad holding his photographs that got water damaged by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, Louisiana

2023

We look slightly down onto a person scratching a lottery ticket in this inkjet print titled From Landmines to Lotteries, Rochester, New York. The person has medium-toned skin and short gray hair. He sits cross-legged, and a black t-shirt is lifted up over one shoulder as the man braces the ticket on one knee. The object he uses to scratch the ticket clutched in the bend of one elbow. That arm ends in a rounded stump about mid-forearm.

From Landmines to Lotteries, Rochester, New York

2021

Artworks shown are selected from works submitted by the artist in their grant or residency application. All works are copyright of the artist or artist’s estate.

About Jade Thiraswas

Jade Thiraswas is a Thai-American artist with long black hair, and she wears a vivid red sleeveless garment. She looks slightly down at us from in front of a piece of dimly lit furniture and wall covering.

Jade Thiraswas is a Thai-American artist from New Orleans, LA, whose work bridges photography, installation, and mixed media to explore themes of identity, memory, and belonging. Raised between Southeast Asia and the Gulf South, she draws deeply from her “Cajun Asian” heritage to tell unique, emotionally layered stories rooted in place and personal history. Her practice centers collaboration, care, and ethical storytelling—often working closely with subjects over time to build trust and shared authorship. Jade earned her MFA from Rochester Institute of Technology and BFA from Memphis College of Art. A member of Women Photograph, her work has been exhibited internationally and featured in The New York Times. A proud alum and now visual arts instructor at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), Jade remains deeply engaged with her hometown’s artistic and cultural landscape while pushing the boundaries of her practice across mediums.

Program Participation

Joan Mitchell Center Residency, 2026

Website / Social Links

“ I often describe my work as a form of visual poetry—slow, intentional, and emotionally layered. Whether working with refugee youth or documenting my own family history, I seek to honor the depth of lived experience and cultural memory, especially in places shaped by struggle and resilience.”