Haitian art

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Haitian art is a complex tradition, reflecting African roots with strong Indigenous, American and European aesthetic and religious influences. It is an important expression of Haitian culture and history.

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Many artists cluster in "schools" of painting, such as the Cap-Haïtien school, which features depictions of daily life in the city, the Jacmel School, which reflects the steep mountains and bays of that coastal town, or the Saint-Soleil School, which is characterized by abstracted human forms and is heavily influenced by "Vaudou" symbolism.

Painting

Centre d’Art

The Centre d'Art is an art center, school and gallery located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It was founded in 1944 by American watercolorist DeWitt Peters and several prominent Haitians from the intellectual and cultural circles including: Maurice Borno, Andrée Malebranche, Albert Mangonès, Lucien Price, and Georges Remponeau. [1] Popular artists of this movement often were influenced by vaudou and include: André Pierre, Hector Hippolyte, Castera Bazile, Wilson Bigaud and Rigaud Benoit. [2] Haitian art is a type of artwork is often characterized by vivid colors, spatial composition and spontaneity of painting. [2]

Saint Soleil School

Saint Soleil School, also known as "Movement Saint-Soleil" was founded in 1973 as a rural arts community called Soisson-la-Montagne, in Pétion-Ville, Haiti. [3] This community was started by Jean-Claude Garoute and Maud Robart and they encouraged the academic study of painting, as well as maintaining influence by vaudou. [3] Saint Soleil art is characterized by abstract human forms and the heavy influence of vaudou symbolism.

After Saint Soleil School disbanded, five remaining members of the school were renamed "Cinq Soleil" and include: Levoy Exil, Prosper Pierre Louis, Louisiane Saint Fleurant, Dieuseul Paul, Denis Smith. [3]

A second generation member is Magda Magloire, the daughter of Louisiane Saint Fleurant.

Artibonite artists

The painters of the Artibonite department in north-western Haiti, where Hôpital Albert Schweitzer is located, have developed their own style, which is quite recognizable. The style began with Saincilus Ismaël (1940–2000), who was influenced by Byzantine art he had seen in books. Ismaël began to paint in 1956 after visiting the Centre d'Art in Port-au-Prince. His paintings are marked by exquisite detail. Every article of clothing, house, or tree is painted with a different intricate geometric pattern.

Délouis Jean-Louis grew up in Petite Rivière under the influence of Ismaël. Although he worked under Ismaël for 15 years, he never had formal painting lessons. He began painting to make money, but gradually began to paint carefully executed scenes from his imagination.

Alix Dorléus also learned to paint with Ismaël and Mrs. Mellon. He paints all day long and will paint anywhere he feels the spirit to motivate him. His best paintings are detailed depictions, like activity maps, of daily life in the Artibonite Valley.

Ernst Louizor is considered one of the best impressionist painters of Haiti.[ citation needed ] Louizor was born in Port-au-Prince on 16 October 1938. After high school (Lycée Toussaint L'Ouverture '57), he worked in the tax section of Customs. Louizor's painting career began in 1951, when at the age of 13 he joined the Centre d'Art and studied under Wilmino Domond. He later entered the Académie des Beaux-Arts shortly after its founding in 1959 and furthered his studies with Georges Remponeau. Louizor has many disciples including his wife Gerda Louizor. He has exhibited in Europe and the United States.

Diaspora outside of Haiti

Notable artists of Haitian descent and members of the diaspora include Jean-Michel Basquiat, Hersza Barjon and Ernst Registre.

Market painting

Market painting is a Haitian archetype, originating with Laurent Casimir. It typically depicts a Haitian market and is done in the trademark colors of Casimir red, yellow and orange. The motive is often dense with people. These paintings were mass-produced by Laurent Casimir and his apprentices in the mid-1970s, all signed by Casimir. [4] [ non-primary source needed ] This archetype is later taken up by contemporary Haitian artist like Jean-Louis, many of which studied under Laurent Casimir.

Sculpture

There is evidence that sculpture from the Tainos in Haiti existed in the Pre-Columbian era and they would create dolls, drawings, signs. [2] It is speculated by researchers that these sculptures may have been representing their deities (maybe the ancestors of the vèvè in vaudou). [2]

Contemporary Haitian sculpture is made of natural materials, traditional art mediums, and recycled materials.

"Haitian Steel Drum Sculpture" – The village of Noailles in Croix-des-Bouquets is home to more than a dozen artisan workshops producing countless pieces for over two decades. The work is created out of recycled oil drums. In August 2011, the Clinton Global Initiative along with Greif Inc., donated 40 tons of scrap metal to the artists in Croix-des-Bouquets. After the earthquake in 2010, artists had a difficult time finding material to work from. According to Deputy Jean Tholbert Alexis, 8,000 people in the area are directly or indirectly benefit from the villages' artisans. [5]

Haitian flag-making

Flags most often commemorate specific spirits or saints, but the 2010 Haiti earthquake has become a common subject of art flags. The use of sequins in these flags became prevalent in the 1940s, and many of today's flags cover the entire flag in colored sequins and beads. These flags are traded as art by dealers around the world.

2010 Haiti earthquake

On 12 January 2010 a devastating earthquake struck Port-au-Prince and its surrounding area and resulted in mass devastation. [6] The Haitian art world suffered great losses in the earthquake. Museums and art galleries were extensively damaged, among them Port-au-Prince's main art museum, Centre d'Art, where many art works were destroyed. The collection at Collège Saint Pierre also was devastated, as was the collection of priceless murals in the Holy Trinity Cathedral. [7] Some private art galleries were also severely damaged, including the Monnin Gallery in Pétion-Ville, [7] and the Nader Art Gallery and Musée Nader in Port-au-Prince. The personal collection of Georges Nader Sr, the Nader collection was worth an estimated US$30-US$100 million. Shortly after the earthquake struck, UNESCO assigned special envoy Bernard Hadjadj to evaluate damage to artwork. [8] The Smithsonian Institution, led by Under Secretary Richard Kurin, and with the assistance of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince and the Government of Haiti among others, embarked on a multiyear project and survey to help restore key Haitian cultural treasures and train local Haitians on art preservation and recovery techniques. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port-au-Prince</span> Capital of Haiti

Port-au-Prince is the capital and most populous city of Haiti. The city's population was estimated at 1,200,000 in 2022 with the metropolitan area estimated at a population of 2,618,894. The metropolitan area is defined by the IHSI as including the communes of Port-au-Prince, Delmas, Cite Soleil, Tabarre, Carrefour, and Pétion-Ville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ouest (department)</span> Department of Haiti

Ouest (French) or Lwès is one of the ten departments of Haiti. It is located in south-central Haiti, linking the Great-North and the Tiburon Peninsula.

Stevenson Magloire was a painter born in Pétion-Ville, Haiti. He is the son of artist Louisiane Saint Fleurant, a founder of the School of Soleil art movement. Magloire's paintings are bold and expressionistic, frequently incorporating people, birds, and Vodou and Christian symbolism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prosper Pierre-Louis</span>

Prospère Pierre-Louis (1947–1997), also known as Prosper Pierre-Louis, was a Haitian artist, painter; and one of the main contributors to the Saint Soleil art movement. His paintings depicting mystical Vodou lwa and spirits are especially noteworthy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philomé Obin</span>

Philomé Obin was a Haitian painter. He produced his first painting in 1908 at the age of 16, and was an active artist for 75 years. Obin is considered one of the greatest Haitian artists of the 20th century.

Jacques-Enguerrand Gourgue was one of Haiti's most renowned painters of the 20th century.

Gesner Abelard was a Haitian painter and sculptor. Born in Port-au-Prince, Abelard began life as a mechanic, then studied painting and sculpture at the Industrial School of Port-au-Prince under the painter Humberman Charles. He became a member of the Haitian Centre d'Art in 1948. In 1949, he received a bronze medal at the International Exposition celebrating the bicentennial of Port-au-Prince. Many of his paintings depict birds, trees and scenes of Haitian life, and he is considered a naïve artist. Abelard is believed to be deceased.

Ralph Allen is a Haitian painter. Born in Port-au-Prince, Allen was awarded a scholarship to the National Academy of Design's School of Fine Arts in New York City. His paintings have been exhibited at the Loeb Center at New York University, the National Audubon Society, and at his alma mater, the National Academy of Design.

Philippe Walter Marie Dodard is a Haitian graphic artist and painter. His works have been exhibited throughout Europe and the Americas.

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Nehemy Jean (1931–2007) was a Haitian painter and graphic artist. Born in Limbé, Jean worked as a graphic artist and studied portraiture. He painted murals at the Port-au-Prince International Airport. His works have been exhibited in Europe and the United States. He joined the Centre d'Art in 1947 and was active in the founding of the Foyer des Arts Plastique. Jean died in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damage to infrastructure in the 2010 Haiti earthquake</span>

Damage to infrastructure in the 2010 Haiti earthquake was extensive and affected areas included Port-au-Prince, Petit-Goâve, Léogâne, Jacmel and other settlements in southwestern Haiti. In February Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged. The deputy mayor of Léogâne, which was at the epicenter of the earthquake, reported that 90% percent of the buildings in that city had been destroyed and Léogâne had "to be totally rebuilt." Many notable landmark buildings were significantly damaged or destroyed, including the Presidential Palace, the National Assembly building, the Port-au-Prince Cathedral, and the main jail. The Ministry of Education estimated that half the nation's 15,000 primary schools and 1,500 secondary schools were severely damaged, cracked or destroyed. In addition, the three main universities in Port-au-Prince were also severely damaged. Other affected infrastructure included telephone networks, radio station, factories, and museums. Poor infrastructure before the earthquake only made the aftermath worse. It would take half a day to make a trip of a few miles. The roads would also crisscross haphazardly due to disorganized construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louisiane Saint Fleurant</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrée Malebranche</span> Haitian artist (1916–2013)

Andrée Malebranche was an Afro-Haitian painter and art instructor. She has works included in the collections of the Musée d'Art Haïtien and was recognized by the Haitian government for her contributions to the development of Haitian painting.

Claude Dambreville is a Haitian writer and painter. He was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, December 17, 1934. After attending art school in Haiti, he became a painter. Dambreville continued to write and in 1983, he won the annual literary Henri Deschamps award for his novel, Un gout de Fiel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centre d'Art</span>

Le Centre d'Art, also known as Centre d'Art d'Haïti, is an art center, art school and art gallery located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It was founded in 1944 by American watercolorist DeWitt Peters and several prominent Haitians from the intellectual and cultural circles such as Maurice Borno, Albert Mangonès, Geo Remponeau, Jean Chenet and Gerald Bloncourt. In 2010, the center's building was destroyed; by 2012 they continued offering classes; and the center's new building was scheduled to reopen by 2021.

Galland Semerand was a Haitian painter and architect.

Salnave Philippe-Auguste was a Haitian painter, lawyer, and magistrate known for his jungle scenes.

References

  1. ↑ Benson, LeGrace (2016). "Malebranche, Andrée (1916–2013)". In Knight, Franklin W.; Gates Jr., Henry Louis (eds.). Dictionary of Caribbean and Afro–Latin American Biography. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-199-93580-2. – via  Oxford University Press 's Reference Online (subscription required)
  2. 1 2 3 4 "A History of Haitian Art". DiscoverHaiti.com. 2001. Archived from the original on 2 August 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Saint Soleil Movement". Ok Haiti. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  4. ↑ "Galerie Macondo" . Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "Clinton Foundation makes first loan to Haiti craft business under new program to boost economy". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 29 May 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  6. ↑ "USGS Magnitude 7.0 – HAITI REGION". Archived from the original on 15 January 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  7. 1 2 Tracy Wilkinson (24 January 2010). "A cultural agony in a nation where art is life". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 24 January 2010.
  8. ↑ Pooja Bhatia (25 January 2010). "Art Trove Is Among Nation's Losses". Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  9. ↑ "Haiti Cultural Recovery Project - Cultural Recovery Center". haiti.si.edu. Retrieved 2024-01-19.

Museum Collections

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