Creole arts Exibit


Haitian Hero Capois Lamort by Stephen Saintilus

The slave insurrection which gave rise to the first black republic in the world began on August 14, 1791 and reached its climax in 1804 as Haitian slaves defeated Napoleon's French army and proclaimed the country's independence. Haiti's successful slave rebellion was an inspiration to African slaves around the globe and to many nations in South America that were looking to overthrow the colonial powers.

As Haiti has just marked its bicentennial on January 1, 2004, throughout the year Heritagekonpa Magazine will feature Haitian and international organizations and individuals that are striving to make a difference in Haitian Diaspora through different mediums (Music, arts, business, and Culture).

Featured organization

SUMEI, a nonprofit organization located in located in downtown Newark, is a Multidisciplinary Arts Center that provides artists of diverse backgrounds and disciplines the opportunity to showcase their work in the metropolitan area. To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Haitian Independence, the SUMEI Multidisciplinary Arts Center has structured their program around a series of events that will feature Haitian art and culture.

Haitian immigration to the U.S.:

Prior to winning independence in 1804, Haiti's agricultural treasure made her one of the most contested colonial territories in the world. Under French rule, Haiti's wealth was heavily based on slave labor. During its turbulent history, many internal factions and foreign competing powers, including the United States, sought to appropriate this wealth for themselves.During its most troubled times, there have been three major waves of immigration from Haiti to the U.S. The first was from 1791 to 1810, the second from 1915 to 1934, and the third from 1957 to 1994.

What many Americans do not know is that the first civil rights cases to be tested in the United States in the fight against racial segregation were started by Haitians, i.e. the famous Plessey v. Ferguson, May 18, 1896.Coming after 9/11, this celebration, for all of us who are here in the United States, concerns a fundamental principle with which we are faced more sharply now than ever "independence and freedom".

Sumei Multidisciplinary Arts Center invites the public to join with the Haitian community in celebration of their independence.

Note: Haiti is the only country we know of, where slavery existed, in which slaves fought against colonial oppression and won. This is phenomenal in itself.

These exhibitions concern the fundamental principle of "independence and freedom". We have watched the Iron Curtain crumble and the discovery of capitalism by once socialist countries. We have watched and been given reasons for our country's invasion of other countries, under the flag of "freedom". It is now time to consider the history of a country's continual plight to find some semblance of independence not only from a colonial oppressor but from its own psychological chains.

Sumei's goal during the coming year is to bring Haitian artists to the forefront of American art; not as artists who can portray the often seen stereotypical market scenes of the Caribbean, but as the heirs to a mastery of the traditions of Western art-both classical and modern-as it has been uniquely interpreted by Haitian artists for a couple of centuries now. Today, challenged by the turmoil of history and current events, and emboldened by the love of their heritage, these artists present a compelling and pertinent view of our modern world.

Elaine Cobos, curator for the Haitian Exhibitions, has worked as a curator, archivist and educator in the visual arts at The Long Island Museum of American Art, The Santa Barbara Museum, Marlborough Gallery, Atelier A/E Gallery, and The Douglas S. Cramer Foundation Gallery. She has taught art history and art criticism courses at State Universities and Colleges on the both the East Coast and the West Coast. She has written extensively about the visual arts and is currently a lecturer at Marymount College in New York. (below SUMEI's Staff and contributors)

The exbitions will features some of the premier Haitian artistsi, including Vladimir Cybil, Eric Girault, Dominique Volcy, Rejin Leys, Gary Lochard, Michele Marcelin, Marilene Phipps, Margaret Solon, Gelsey Verna, Enock Placide, Ludovic Booz, Nadine La Fond, Yolene
Legrand, Jojo Voight.

Beginning in February, 2004, Sumei will host a Haitian Film Series with works by Haitian and Haitian American film makers.

The highlighted activity on Sumei's 2004 calendar is the Haitian Art Exhibit. The touring exhibit of historical and contemporary Haitian art will begin with a celebratory opening in October of 2004 at Rutgers University, Newark.

Beginning in November, 2004, the art works of fourteen select Haitian artists will be on exhibit at the Sumei Art Center gallery in Downtown Newark. After which, the exhibition will begin to make its way to other notable galleries in the Northeast. The first scheduled stop is at Raritan Valley Community College in New Jersey in February, 2005.

Our hope is that this touring exhibition will bring an awareness of the strength, pride and beauty of Haitian art to other communities and opportunities for more exposure of Haitian artists to the art world beyond the boarders of Haiti.

In conjunction with the exhibit, Sumei will host a mini-conference/forum with notable Haitian scholars, professionals and personalities and the local community, to discuss "How the Haitian community is coping here in the Diaspora (abroad)". The conference is expected to take place in November of 2004.