Martin LaBorde Collection

The imagery in Martin LaBorde's paintings is rooted in a remarkable life journey. Born with a severe hearing impairment, the celebrated New Orleans artist spent the first twenty years of his life in near-total silence. Unable to hear the world around him, his visual awareness and imagination flourished, giving rise to a deeply spiritual and symbolic artistic vision.

When Martin was finally able to hear with the help of specially designed hearing aids, his world changed dramatically. Instead of finding relief, he was overwhelmed by the chaos and sensory overload of the hearing world. Unable to express these emotions with words, he turned to painting. His canvases became powerful reflections of what he felt—figures with oversized ears, tongues reaching toward ears, and pressure points covering their bodies, symbolizing the physical and emotional pain he experienced.

For nearly a decade, Martin created these haunting, surreal works, earning numerous awards and recognition. Yet despite their success, they reflected an inner struggle that had not yet found peace. That peace would come during a life-changing journey to Mexico in 1973.

In 1973, Martin and his wife, Zella, who was also his speech therapist, traveled to Mexico with friends and visited an ancient pyramid. While the others remained at the base, Martin felt compelled to climb to the top alone. As he reached the summit, the wind whistled through his hearing aids, and he found himself surrounded by a bank of clouds. In that extraordinary moment, Martin experienced a profound sense of peace. For the first time, he no longer felt tormented by the hearing world that had challenged him for so many years. He descended the pyramid a changed man.

Back in his New Orleans studio, Martin attempted to resume painting in his earlier surreal style—works that reflected confusion, struggle, and… …sensory overload. But something had changed. Those emotions no longer lived within him. Instead, a joyful little character named Bodo appeared on his canvas, bringing with him the same sense of peace and happiness Martin had discovered atop the pyramid. Bodo has remained the central figure in Martin's art for more than fifty years.

More than a subject, Bodo became Martin's voice—a joyful messenger who expresses the artist's thoughts, emotions, and philosophy of life. Bodo represents the child within us all, but with the wisdom of an old soul. Dressed in colorful robes and distinctive hats, he symbolizes kindness, freedom, hope, and the ability to rise above life's limitations. Collectors around the world connect with Bodo's universal message of resilience, compassion, and joy.

Many of the recurring symbols in LaBorde's work reflect his own experiences. The black background represents the silent world in which he grew up—a place of reflection that he believes exists within everyone. Bodo's two-toned face symbolizes the dualities of life: the blue side represents the spiritual self, while the flesh-toned side represents our human nature. For Martin, it also reflects his journey between the silent world and the hearing world.

The moon is another cherished symbol. As a child, misunderstood because of his deafness, Martin often found comfort lying beneath the night sky, watching the moon return again and again. To him, it became a reassuring reminder that hope, love, and acceptance are always present.

Animals frequently appear in LaBorde's paintings because they were his first friends. Before his hearing loss was understood, many people mistakenly believed he had an intellectual disability. Animals accepted him without judgment, and they remain enduring symbols of unconditional love in his art.

Today, Martin LaBorde is not only one of Louisiana's most beloved and highly collected artists, but also an internationally collected artist whose work is found in private and corporate collections around the world. His paintings invite viewers into a world of wonder, spirituality, and hope.Through Bodo and his rich symbolic imagery, Martin reminds us that life's greatest challenges can become life's greatest gifts and that every painting tells a story of resilience, joy, and the enduring power of the human spirit.

11 x14 Oil on Canvas	16 x 20 Oil on Canvas	18 x 24 Oil on Canvas	22 x 28 Oil on Canvas
20 x 30 Oil on Canvas	24 x30 Oil on Canvas	24 x 36 Oil on Canvas	30 x 40 Oil on Canvas
36 x 48 Oil on Canvas	Miniature Ceramics	Large Ceramics	Original Works on Paper
Original Works on Panel	Archival  Works	Martin LaBorde Birthday Collection	Martin LaBorde Auction