Commentary: The Art of Haiti
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| Published on Saturday, October 3, 2009 | Email To Friend Print Version
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By Jean H Charles
The Republic of Haiti has maybe the largest number of artists per square mile than most countries in the world. This artistic pregnancy is spread evenly amongst the rich as well as the poor. It is due seemingly to the extraordinary natural beauty of the country. Each one of its towns and cities are surrounded by majestic mountains that change their color and their shape dependng on the location of the sun from dawn to sunset as well as the flirting passing of a bank of clouds.
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| Jean H Charles MSW, JD is Executive Director of AINDOH Inc a non profit organization dedicated to building a kinder and gentle Caribbean zone for all. He can be reached at: jeanhcharles@aol. |
Arts and Ayiti were twin sisters long before Columbus set foot on the island. In one of my recent trip to the mountain village of St Suzanne in the northern part of the country I have admired drawing and other signs of art such as artifacts made by the Indian Tainos These pieces and drawing have been uncovered after five hundred years only recently. The Haitian National Museum of Art is filled with artifacts and pieces of art from the pre-Colombian era recovered in all parts of the country.
The arrogance of Western culture places or situates the beginning of Haitian art with the creation of the Art Center or centre d'art by Peters Dewitt an American conscientious objector who chose to teach English in Haiti instead of going to war in Europe. Indeed Peters has an eye to see, when others treat the burgeonning Haitian art as only naive productions that did not warrant the merit of exposition in the galleries and other cultural institutions, he saw merit and value in the cultural explosion that he observed in all aspects of life in the country.
Indeed, art flourished during colonial times (more research is warranted to document the works of the slaves during the three hundred years of slavery). The Haitian art took its cue with independence; the kingdom of Henry Christophe in the north of Haiti as well as the Republic of Alexander Petion in the west and the south were patrons of the art. Petion was hospitable to a French citizen who opened an art school in the capital. Henry Christophe brought in from England art teachers and created the Royal Art School who produced and exposed the new freed citizen to the beauty and the elegance of artistic production.
Yet honor and merit should be given to Peters Dewitt for combing the entire country to call in to the Art Center all the Haitian artists and give them a venue to expose their masterpieces. From Cape Haitian came in Philome Obin with his special skill of linear drawings presenting the different aspects of life in the city, a first communion, the streets and the houses of the city. From St Marc came voodoo priests Hyppolite and Wilson Bigaud with their fantastic pieces that command today millions of dollars each... and there were more, Rigaud Benoit, Castera Bazile and Prefet Duffaut from Jacmel. Dewitt helped the Haitian artits to shine on the international stage. They went back home later to create their own school, the school of Cap Haitian with Philome Obin, the School of Jacmel with Prefete Duffaut, known for painting the city in the jungle. was he dreaming of the eco-city before the term?
Peters Dewitt brought to Haiti Selden Rodman who became the best missionary of the naive art of Haiti. The naive or the intuitive art is a description of vista with fresh and vivid colors unencumbered by rules and regulations learned or unlearned. The culmination of that artistic explosion has been immortalized in the fresco of the Cathedral St Trinity in Port au Prince. Bishop Vaugly as Pope Julius II commissioned the best artists of the country to adorn the House of God with magnificent murals all around the altar. Today the Cathedral is a passage oblige in the touristic path of Haiti.
Later on, Jean Price Mars, the combined Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandala of Haiti, inspired the artists to go indigenist, meaning drawing on their inner values and strength to describe the local colors. Petion Savain and George Reamponneau are the best representatives of that artistic movement.
 Haitian art was at its peak. Art connoisseurs came from all over the world to pick up the products of these masters. Albert Camus brought Haitian pieces to Picasso, who was inspired to create the cubisme style. With success came imitation as well as the degeneration of the Haitian political scene. At an art Black Expo presentation, a well known art dealer told me the Haitian art is suffering from the failed state of the country. The commanding price is not commensurate with the strength and the quality of the production because of the perception of the country as a failed entity.
Yet Haitian art continues its ascent to excellence irrespective of the political scene, at home, indeed it seems to flourish more in bad times. One goes to Haiti to buy art as you go to Germany to get a Mercedes Benz. You will get the best at an affordable price.
Later on, Jean Claude Garout or Ti Ga reproduces the Peters Dewitt experience in the country side of Haiti. The artistic explosion has been as strong as in the cities. He facilitated the creation of an artist community later named St Soleil by visiting Andre Malreaux in his book L'intemporal to Saint Soleil. Bernard Sejourne of the elite class reacting to the Saint Soleil generation by producing masterpieces where surrealism is used as a background canvas for the fantastic and the macabre to co-exist in a genre named school of beauty.
Amongst the Haitian artists who do not belong to any school or genre in particular, my favorites are Lyonel Laurenceau, Enel Desir, Ernst Louizor; their paintings continue to amaze art connoisseurs and invite imitators. Haiti is also known for its iron sculpture. The town of Croix Des Bouquets has the distinction of producing a small factory in each home turning in pieces that will adorn the exterior wall of the adobe houses of New Mexico.
In a new Haiti that regains its splendor, I dream of a weekly market place auction led by Sotheby's in Port au Prince to satisfy the appetite of the art lovers. I dream also of contributing to the building named Haitian art Peters Dewitt Museum a donation of the people of Haiti to the people of America for their hospitality in the last fifty years for millions of Haitians who found inhospitality at home.
I will be curating during the whole month of October a Haitian art exhibit entitled: the Art of Haiti at the East Meadow Public Library, Long Island New York. The exposition includes the personal collections of Haitian sponsors who have supported the artists through the hard times in the country. The exposition will include masterpieces not in circulation in the Haitian art marketplace. The paintings can be bought (with a small contribution for AIDNOH charitable work in Haiti) except they may be picked up only at the end of the exposition on October 31. The cosy and efficient East Meadow Public library is open every day from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm. The opening reception for the exhibit will take place on Sunday, October 4, at 2.00 pm.
A good excuse to visit and enjoy the art of the island of Haiti on Long Island New York. | | | | Reads : 920 | | | |
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