HAITIAN ART

Haitian painting and sculptures are considered the most appreciated art in the world. It continues to receive critical acclaim while receiving some measure of commercial success. However, that success comes with a history of controversy, as Haitian artists, local and western critics have dueled over what form of artistic expression is more authentic and therefore worthy of consideration as characteristic Haitian art.

TAINOS:

Haitian Art actually dates back to Pre-Christopher Columbus and not the Centre D'Art movement of the mid 20th century as many claim. The indigenous people of Haiti - Tainos created dolls, drawings and even signs that represented various deities. Sculptures, pots and various artifacts tell of a people who expressed their culture through beautifully crafted art.

EARLY & POST-COLUMBUS:

Records exist of a former slave called Luc from Leogane who during French colonial times gained notoriety as a painter. It is recorded that Henri Christophe and Alexandre Petion were patron of the arts and commissioned for various work of glory and revolutionary themes. They entertained various European artists and founded art schools.

In the early 20th century, a giant in Haitian Art named Philome Obin emerged from the northern town of Cap-Haitien; now known as the greatest Haitian masters who ever lived. A self-taught painter, Obin painted genre scenes of everyday life in Cap-Haitien along with historical scenes from the Haitian Revolution. Obin's art is representative of the spirit of the 1920's and 1930's when the global negritude movement would see a local manifestation in Haiti with the Indigenist movement.

INDIGENISM AND MODERNISM:

Indigenism in terms of Haitian and Caribbean Art means returning to one's African roots and finding a natural cultural identity. The indigenist movement included finding new aesthetic values and one of the first artist to actually apply this was Petion Savain. Savain's style was both realistic, simple, yet very influential.

Cuban and various other Caribbean influences gave rise to the Modernist movement, which was embraced and accepted by the elite. Important Modernist painters include Luce Turnier (1924 - 1994) and Lucien Price (1915 - 1963). Taking a cue from the Cuban Master Wilfredo Lam, these two painters in particular attempted to adapt modern artistic theories to their local environment.

NAIVE MOVEMENT AND THE CENTRE D'ART:

In the 1940's, an American school teacher named Dewitt Peters arrived in Haiti. Amazed by the sheer raw talent displayed by many untrained and uneducated painters, now called outsider artist, Peters was taken back by their raw talent. In 1944, Peters founded the Centre D'Art in Port-au-Prince, which would come to champion the art form known as "Naive Art". Characterized by strokes of raw, vivid color and often accompanied with a spatial composition. Contrary to what art history books often lead one to believe, Dewitt Peters and the Centre D'Art did not invent Naive Art though they are credited with bringing it to the attention of the western world.

PRIMITIVE MOVEMENT:

The first generation "primitive" artists received worldwide acclaim by critics and collectors, who believed the movement was authentic and unspoiled. Primary contributors included Andre Pierre, Hector Hippolyte (1894 - 1948), Ceastera Bazile (1923 - 1966), Wilson Bigaud (1931 ) and Rigaud Benoit (1911 - 1986 ). Vaudou (Voodoo) was often prominently featured in many works by such artists and Pierre and Hippolyte were in fact both vaudou priests.

The mural project of the Cathedral of Sainte Trinite (Holy Trinity) is often cited as the cornerstone of the Primitive Art Movement. The creators of that mural, Obin, Benoit, Bazile and Bigaud placed traditional religious motifs and voodoo symbols such as the Ascension of Christ, drums and sacrificial animals. Vaudou and naive artists proud and boldly expressed themselves using the backdrop of the Center D'Art.

Suffice to say, the Primitive Art Movement was very controversial. Haitian artists such as the intelligentsias along with the elite resented the seal of authenticity that was attached to Naive Art. They questioned the power of Centre D'Art, who championed only Naive art and why only unschooled artists were recognized as being authentic. To this day many Haitian artists wrestle with these notions and suppress their artistic horizons due to their fear of not being viewed as authentic.

COMMERCIALISM:

Critical recognition of Haitian Art lead to an increase in foreign demand. Haitian artists who often worked for various galleries would receive requests and demands to create more popular genres, such as "market scenes" and "landscapes". Before long, many copycats would emerge and ultimately, the whole movement would turn into commercialism with decreasing freshness and originality.

POST NAIVE MOVEMENT:

The Naive Movement was responsible for several offshoot movements such as the "School of Cap-Haitien" created by Philome Obin. Artist Prefete Duffaut, created the “School of Jacmel,” famous for mountain landscapes which depicted Heaven meeting Earth with the laws of gravity non-existent. Learning various techniques creating their own distinct style, the second generation artists included Gerard Valcin, Wlmino Domond, Seymour Bottex, Gabriel Alix, Gesner Armand and Prefete Duffaut. The Jungle scenes and oversize fruit in a local context were often portrayed by second generation primitive artists.

One of the few commercially successful reactions to Intuitive Art was the "School of Beauty" that included Bernard Sejourne (1947 - 1994), Jean Rene Jerome (1942 - 1991), Philippe Dodard and Emilcar Similien. Their style consisted of a dreamy like surrealism where the individual was featured instead of a group scene and where personal thoughts and feelings were the focus of the piece.

NOW AND BEYOND:

The new generation consist of artist such as Bernard Wah (1939 - 1982), who has a quasi-mechanical approach to his characters that approached the macabre or fantasy life. Lyonel Laurenceau, a 1970's artist whose mastery of knife painting techniques created portraits of simple folk life with great depth and movement. Claude Dambreville excelled with his high contrast and flat color market scenes. The 1980's saw the rise of Jean Michel Basquiat, who reached world-wide fame although his life was short lived. Influenced by Andy Warhol and his Brooklyn ghetto neighborhood, Basquiat was the quintessential modern Haitian artist.

Haitian Art continues to evolve and it is the intent of Vivant Art Collection to recognize not only the beauty of past Haitian art and artists alike but to encourage, develop and nurture the next generation of great Haitian artists.