THE SCHOOL OF BEAUTY
The Art and Culture of Haiti
By Ralph Clermont
Haiti is a country born before its time, holding on to a glorious past but ill-equipped to deal with the present. Its people embody determination in the face of overwhelming poverty and despair. The secret of our national resiliency can be found in our culture and art. Our culture is our source of strength and our art has chronicled the beauty and the often-violent struggles of our people. After years of unspeakable misery and humiliation, our art sometimes seems like the only thing that we have left.
The world got its first glimpse of Haitian painters in the 1940s, when Dewitt Peters, an American artist and English teacher living in Haiti, along with others, founded the Centre d'Art. The Centre d'Art greatly contributed to the development of Haitian painting and is credited with establishing an international appreciation for Haitian art. Although Centre d'Art promoted both schooled and unschooled artists as well as a variety of styles, many would come to associate Haitian art with the naïve, self-taught artists whose works have amazed the art world since the 1940s. Haitian art would acquire a hard-to-shake label of being little more than naïve or primitive paintings which mostly non-Haitian champions have made internationally famous.
But Haitian art is as mesmerizing and colorful as its people, with cues taken from our rich heritage and expressed in a bold, contemporary language that is uniquely Haitian: magical, mystical, brash and impulsive. In 1804 Haiti became the world's first black republic. Three years later, King Henry Christophe, a hero of the revolution, was already preoccupied with the idea of creating a fine-art institute. By 1850 the emperor Soulouque had founded the Imperial Academy of Drawing and Painting. These efforts attempted to replicate French and European ways of life. The seeds of modern art were planted with the Indigenous movement in the 1920s, which sought to honor Haitian cultural values and African roots in defiance of the American occupation.
Of all the movements associated with Haitian modern art, the one initiated by Bernard Sejourne and Jean-Rene Jerome, often referred to as the School of Beauty, is one of the most significant. Certainly none is as intriguing or as controversial. In the French-English catalog "Double Resonance: Bernard Sejourne & Jean-Rene Jerome," art historian Michel Philippe Lerebours details the emergence of the School of Beauty: "The 1960s were rough for Haitian painting after the euphoria of the 50s. The mostly American tourist clientele...that supported the primitive movement without reservation had fled Haiti's shores frightened by the political situation." The repressive dictatorship of Papa Doc Duvalier had "forced [artists] to keep silent or simply to whisper discreet and colorless words." Painting was able to survive because a local "buying public originating mostly from the elite in power rather than the traditional aristocracy could neither accept the awkwardness of the primitives nor the rashness of contemporary painting." This new elite, a middle and upper class which had begun to assert its influence with the Indigenous movement and had grown in strength during the professed "black power" reign of Dumarsais Estime (1946-1950) and through that of the Duvaliers (1957-1986), "had to have a reassuring art, easy to read, that could embellish and brighten life and help forget the horrors of the moment." Out of this climate a number of artists from the 70s would unveil their new vision of beauty.
Ralph Clermont sat down with prominent Haitian artist Enoch Placide to discuss the School of Beauty. The early masters of the naïve school of Haitian painting influence Placide's ideas of contemporary art. Many of his paintings incorporate traditional themes found in vodou and folklore. In 1983, his artwork for "Voyage of Dreams," a documentary depicting the plight of Haitian Boat People, was part of a Lincoln Center exhibit featuring leading artists and programmers in computer animation. In 1980 he was selected by the New York Urban League as part of its 35under35 exhibit.
RC- What is the idea behind the School of Beauty and why was it able to thrive in such a difficult environment?
EP- The term "School of Beauty" is an attempt to group certain modern artists with similar styles and points of view. It is a formal, less socially engaged vision of art characterized by beautiful workmanship, elegant designs, refined brushstrokes, smooth surfaces and the celebration of the female figure. In many ways it represents a distancing from the untutored look common of the naïve artists. The School of Beauty was able to flourish because many of the artists, initially, did not take a political stance. Keep in mind we were living under a repressive regime that restricted what one could say or do.
RC- Bernard Sejourne and Jean Rene Jerome are credited with initiating this movement, although Sejourne once described the chool of Beauty as "a term coined by the art market" to discredit those artists whose works could not be purchased for "ten dollars like that of the naïve painters."
EP- By the late 70s they were the stars of Haitian painting, well connected, from elite families and with social positions that allowed them to make an impact in the art community. Their vision of beauty would open new possibilities and change the perception of Haitian art. In a memorable Brooklyn Museum exhibit in 1978, Sejourne, Jerome and others bound by similar styles and ideals showcased this new direction in Haitian painting.
RC- What about the controversy surrounding the School of Beauty and Sejourne in particular?
EP- Sejourne personified the School of Beauty. Like most of his peers, Bernard studied at the Academie des Beaux-Arts in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He later traveled to Jamaica and the U.S. to pursue his education and refine his skills. He is convinced that there is enough ugliness around him and prefers to express the beautiful and pleasant side of life, ignoring the harsh realities that most Haitians endure daily. His later works are marred by a depraved indifference to the conditions of the country, and life is expressed as a carnival, a masquerade, where people hide behind beautiful masks - the truth covered with elegant brushstrokes. There are many artists who lived among us but never noticed us. For better or worse, they are the products of their environment, of their economic and social class. They turn their backs on our rich, traditional African heritage and instead embrace a French-European culture.
RC- As you said, artists are the products of their environment. To appreciate their works we have to keep things in perspective. Although some of these artists may not have taken a political stance, there is no denying the quality of their art. |
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EP- Absolutely. Simil is a perfect example. A jewelry designer, for him painting is a means to display pattern, color and his extraordinary signature style of gold jewelry against the black skin of female silhouettes. His approach to beauty is a matter of style, unlike Jerome and Sejourne, for whom the quest for beauty was a way of life. Although elements of Black pride and cultural nationalism are present in his art, the women depicted are emblematic of Haiti's upper class - the sort of women desired as trophy wives or mistresses. He is more interested in the formal qualities of his work rather than the content. This position is quite consistent with many artists of that period.
RC- Haitian artists have the added burden of representing people whose beauty has requently been denied. Whose works accurately reflect the social and economic conditions of the vast majority of Haitians?
EP- Fragrance Valcin's work is very representative of the majority of Haitians. In many ways he is the antithesis of the School of Beauty. Unlike many of his peers, Fragrance was born poor and developed a deep concern for social and economic justice. Although the formal qualities of his paintings are consistent with those of his contemporaries, he forces us to reflect on the deteriorating conditions of the poor, the exploited and the despised. Fragrance is the nephew of Gerard Valcin, a well known naïve artist. However, like many artists of his generation, he wants to break away from the naïve and primitive label to present a new and refreshing image of Haitian art. What he lacks in formal education, he makes up with his vivid storytelling and social content. His painting "Boat People" is a powerful tribute to the many Haitians who are lost at sea trying to escape oppression, terror, and abject poverty at home.
RC- Our notions of beauty are constantly changing, always evolving, reflecting attitudes and changes in our environment. Artists can enlarge the vocabulary of what is beautiful and acceptable in a culture. Who are some of the artists that have expanded our definitions of beauty?
EP- Lyonel Laurenceau's work and ideas are vast enough to relate to the tendencies associated with this movement and beyond. His paintings are not only beautiful but meaningful, with references to social issues as well as metaphors from Haitian culture. He incorporates concepts such as romanticism, symbolism, and mysticism to produce spectacular canvases. His art truly epitomizes the many faces of beauty. His distinctive style is masterfully combined with painterly brushstrokes and a rich complexity that delves into the paradoxes of life: the emotional and logical, the real and the imaginary. His work appeals to people who purchase art to decorate their homes as well as to collectors and art connoisseurs around the world. It is easy to see why Laurenceau is so revered and appreciated both at home and abroad.
Jean Claude Legagneur, on the other hand, prefers to pursue a more narrow definition of beauty. Less committed to social struggles, he is known for his remarkable sense of color and his depictions of a romantic and idyllic life. This is personified by his sultry Creole beauties, usually mulatto with fine features and cafe-au-lait skin, placed in colorful settings. Like many Haitian painters, he likes to paint woman vendors in market scenes, except his vendors look like Halle Berry or Dorothy Dandridge. His talent is in asserting the desires of a considerable number of people who find this provocative interpretation of Black beauty irresistible.
RC- Name some other artists who have contributed to this legacy?
EP- Artists such as Frank Louissaint, Edouard Michelet, and Claude Dambreville are recording accurately and vividly the life of the poor and the working class. A former naïve artist, Louissant, in particular, captures the Haitian experience with such clarity and detail that his works often take on a photographic quality.
RC- Gerald Alexis, whose "Peintres Haitiens" is probably the most comprehensive and beautiful book on Haitian art ever published, stated, "Inside a society that often has to overcome colossal difficulties, our art is a perfect model for progress and should be perceived as such, beyond all other considerations." What do you see for the future of Haitian art?
EP- Tomorrow is in the hands of the incoming generation, who will carry our message of hope, love and compassion. With so much economic, political and social turmoil in Haiti, our future is marred by uncertainty. The country is ravaged by corruption, political infighting and the dreadful consequences of color and class prejudice. Violence has become a way of life, people continue to die, but their causes are losing their significance. In this environment, our artists are using poetry, music, sculpture, theater, novels, etc., as a catalyst for change and to unite our people. Finally, as the remaining artists of the School of Beauty slowly fade away, as they pass the torch, let it be known to the rest of the world that our culture will survive and that our art will continue to triumph.
images provided by:
Galerie d' Art Nader
1911 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
Coral Gables, Florida
www.galerienader.com | |
