Tap-Tap: Celebrating The Art of Haiti

CHECKLIST OF THE EXHIBITION Jacques Nicolas Bellin Carte de l’Isle d’Hayti, 1754 Reproduction 40 x 26½ inches Green Library Special Collections Edouard Duval-Carrié Ayida Whedo, 1990 Mixed media on canvas with artist’s frame 31½ inches x 31½ inches Collection of Carol Damian FanFan Untitled (Market Scene), n.d.

Oil on canvas 30 x 40 inches Collection of Vicky Silvera Gerard Fortuné Untitled (Twins), n.d.

Oil on canvas 39¾ inches x 30 inches Gerard Fortuné Untitled, n.d.

Oil on board 24 x 24 inches Gerard Fortuné Untitled, n.d.

Oil on canvas 24⅛ x 36 inches Jean-Enguerrand Gourgue Untitled, n.d.

Oil on wood 39¾ x 29¾ inches

Yvens Leger Tap-Tap, ca. 1983 Papier-mâché 20 x 30 x 5½ inches

Unknown Artist Tap-Tap La Joie, ca. 1984 Papier-mâché 22 x 22 x 5 inches

Lesly Untitled (Street Scene), n.d.

Oil on canvas 25 x 21 inches

Unknown Artist Tap-Tap Silvers, n.d.

Papier-mâché 16 x 18 x 5 inches

Fritznel Obin Untitled (Street Scene with Church), 1992 Oil on canvas 23.75 x 29⅞ inches

Jacques Valmidor Untitled (Village Wedding), n.d.

Oil on canvas 24 x 22 inches

Gerard Paul Untitled (Dance), n.d.

Oil on board 24 x 24 inches Jacques Pierrette Untitled (Market Scene featuring the Iron Market), n.d.

Oil on canvas 30 x 40½ inches Lionel Simonis Tap-Tap Patience, 1982 Papier-mâché 21 x 24 x 4½ inches

Wagler Vital Country Scene, n.d.

Oil on canvas 25½ x 33 inches

TAP- TAP Celebrating The Art of Haiti May 26 - September 5, 2010

Wagler Vital Fishing Boats, n.d.

Oil on canvas 25½ x 33½ inches Wagler Vital Untitled (Boys in Soccer Uniforms), n.d.

Oil on canvas 25½ x 37½ inches

Jean Thermidor Untitled (School Yard Soccer Game), n.d.

Oil on canvas 23¾ x 31½ inches

Curatorial Assistant: Ana Estrada Catalog Design: Raymond Mathews The Frost Art Museum receives ongoing support from the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners; the State of Florida; the Steven & Dorothea Green Endowment; Funding Arts Network; Dade Community Foundation; Target; and the Members & Friends of The Frost Art Museum; The Miami Herald 2009-2010 Media Sponsor

Lionel Simonis Tap-Tap Patience, 1982 Papier-mâché 21 x 24 x 4½ inches Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program

DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

TAP-TAP: CELEBRATING THE ART OF HAITI

Where did this joyous art come from? For over 50

embarked on a very special project: to have an

proud to live in Florida, so close to Haiti and the home

The tap-tap, a typical form of public transportation in

laden with fruit…Opposite the harbor there was a

Leisure and enjoyment are also significant aspects of

years, the art of Haiti has been celebrated. Inspiring,

exhibition of some of our works (a small percentage

of so many Haitians. This small exhibition is our way

Haiti, is also one of the most colorful sights on the

beautiful fertile plain…”1 The Utopian Landscape,

Haitian life and social themes show the people’s love

perplexing and popular as an expression in bright

of our holdings) in preparation for their return to Haiti

of giving them something to hold on to and smile

streets. Ranging in size from small to large, the

first popularized in the 1940s and 1950s by the artist

of pleasure and a good time. Few things will fire up a

colors, it depicts happy people enjoying daily life. Of

when the time is right. We also decided to exhibit

about when they most need the comfort we know

tap-tap is a converted pickup, a truck, a mini-van or a

Wilson Bigaud, is an accepted and prevalent

Haitian crowd more than a match de football, a

course, there are other “darker” symbols and visions

happy and festive work.

art can bring.

bus. Often crowded and perilously overloaded with

iconographic theme in Haitian Art. It reflects what

soccer game. Everyone knows that adults and

people, live animals, fresh fruits and vegetables, the

every Haitian and Haitian-American hopes for “yon lot

children will probably skip work and school to watch

tap-tap is a quintessential part of Haiti. Their colorful

Ayiti’ – another, better Haiti.”

an important game. From schoolyards and

that appear as a reflection of political turmoil and the

Carol Damian Director and Chief Curator The Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum

mysterious rites of Vodou that cannot be ignored.

This exhibition begins with a journey by bus, the

This exhibition, an expression of joie de vivre, was

colorful tap-tap so ubiquitous on Haitian streets,

born of two interesting situations that occurred

through markets and playgrounds, stopping at

recently: the disastrous earthquake of January 2010

football games, schools and little churches. It is a

and the documentation of a major collection of

vibrant life, now so devastated, that this art preserves

Haitian Art in the storage vaults of The Patricia and

for the future. It is a voyage through time that began

When the idea for this project was proposed, the

Phillip Frost Art Museum in Miami. With the realization

with the founding of the Centre d’Art by Dewitt C.

tap-tap was appropriately suggested as a unifying

and have balconies and tall wooden doors. The

that Haiti had lost so much of its cultural patrimony

Peters in 1943 in Port-au-Prince and continues with

theme for an exhibit celebrating Haitian Art and, by

children wearing school uniforms, ostensibly on their

Our journey would be incomplete without religion.

and that The Museum had numerous examples of

generations of painters, metal sculptors, printmakers

association, Haitian life. In our exhibit, papier-mâché

way to school, is a comment on childhood. As

Inspiration comes from both the Christian and Vodou

work by entire generations of Haitian artists, we

and object makers throughout the island. We are

tap-taps lead from one aspect of life to the next, just

Gérald Alexis explains: childhood is a prologue to

religions. Pieces by Fritznel Obin and Jacques

as an individual would ride a tap-tap to traverse the

adulthood and schoolchildren in uniform embody the

Valmidor prominently feature Christian churches,

city or even the whole country.

citizen of the future.3

while those by Jean Enguerrand Gourgue and

We begin in the countryside, les provinces, where the

The next stop is le marché, the marketplace, a

the religion, it provides Haitians comfort and hope for

landscape is lush and fertile and the peasants are

ubiquitous presence in every city and village, and yet

a better tomorrow.

well fed and happy. Nature’s abundance, as seen in

another popular theme in Haitian art. They are loud,

this iconography, shows what Haiti once was.

crowded spaces, where one can buy anything: live

This exhibit is a reflection of our hope for “yon lot Ayiti

Christopher Columbus headed to Ayiti, Kiskeya or

animals, produce, clothing and handicrafts. Jacques

– another, better Haiti” as we celebrate the country

Bohio, the island’s native names, because the natives

Pierrette’s interpretation provides a long view of a

through its art. We invite you to board our tap-taps

told him that it was the richest in the region. His ship,

Port-Au-Prince landmark, Le Marché en Fer (the Iron

and take a journey into Haiti’s art and life.

the Niña, landed at Môle Saint Nicolas on the island’s

Market), with a tap-tap parked in front. These market

northwest coast, and in his journal he recorded his

scenes manage to capture the vibrancy, tumult and

first sight: “…a field of trees of a thousand kinds all

noise one encounters at the marché.

2

decorations, often completed by anonymous artists,

backyards to the streets, a soccer ball is usually

reflect Haitian life and beliefs and, at times, mirror the

As so many Haitians do, we proceed from the

being kicked about. Music and dancing are also

iconography of paintings and sculpture.

countryside to la ville, the city. The street scene by the

important and all it takes is for someone to turn on

artist Lesly depicts the architecture of Haiti’s second

the radio for the dancing to begin. Our exhibit

largest city, Cap Haitien, where the homes are narrow

features scenes of both these pastimes.

Gerard Fortuné feature Vodou subjects. No matter

Stephanie Chancy Curator

Yvens Leger Tap-Tap, ca. 1983 Papier-mâché 20 x 30 x 5½ inches

Jacques Valmidor Untitled (Village Wedding), n.d.

Oil on canvas 24 x 22 inches

“First Voyage of Columbus: Meeting the Islanders (1492).” Athena Review, Vol. 1, no. 3. (http://www.athenapub.com/coluvoy1.htm, accessed April 4, 2010).

Benson, LeGrace, “Kiskeya-Lan Guinee-Eden: The Utopian Vision in Haitian Painting.” Callalloo, Vol. 15, No. 3, Haitian Literature and Culture, Part 2 (Summer 1992), pp. 726-734. (www.jstor.org/stable/2932015 accessed March 2, 2010) 3 Alexis, Gérald. Peintres Haïtiens (Paris: Éditions Cercle d’Art, 2000) p. 120 1 2

DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

TAP-TAP: CELEBRATING THE ART OF HAITI

Where did this joyous art come from? For over 50

embarked on a very special project: to have an

proud to live in Florida, so close to Haiti and the home

The tap-tap, a typical form of public transportation in

laden with fruit…Opposite the harbor there was a

Leisure and enjoyment are also significant aspects of

years, the art of Haiti has been celebrated. Inspiring,

exhibition of some of our works (a small percentage

of so many Haitians. This small exhibition is our way

Haiti, is also one of the most colorful sights on the

beautiful fertile plain…”1 The Utopian Landscape,

Haitian life and social themes show the people’s love

perplexing and popular as an expression in bright

of our holdings) in preparation for their return to Haiti

of giving them something to hold on to and smile

streets. Ranging in size from small to large, the

first popularized in the 1940s and 1950s by the artist

of pleasure and a good time. Few things will fire up a

colors, it depicts happy people enjoying daily life. Of

when the time is right. We also decided to exhibit

about when they most need the comfort we know

tap-tap is a converted pickup, a truck, a mini-van or a

Wilson Bigaud, is an accepted and prevalent

Haitian crowd more than a match de football, a

course, there are other “darker” symbols and visions

happy and festive work.

art can bring.

bus. Often crowded and perilously overloaded with

iconographic theme in Haitian Art. It reflects what

soccer game. Everyone knows that adults and

people, live animals, fresh fruits and vegetables, the

every Haitian and Haitian-American hopes for “yon lot

children will probably skip work and school to watch

tap-tap is a quintessential part of Haiti. Their colorful

Ayiti’ – another, better Haiti.”

an important game. From schoolyards and

that appear as a reflection of political turmoil and the

Carol Damian Director and Chief Curator The Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum

mysterious rites of Vodou that cannot be ignored.

This exhibition begins with a journey by bus, the

This exhibition, an expression of joie de vivre, was

colorful tap-tap so ubiquitous on Haitian streets,

born of two interesting situations that occurred

through markets and playgrounds, stopping at

recently: the disastrous earthquake of January 2010

football games, schools and little churches. It is a

and the documentation of a major collection of

vibrant life, now so devastated, that this art preserves

Haitian Art in the storage vaults of The Patricia and

for the future. It is a voyage through time that began

When the idea for this project was proposed, the

Phillip Frost Art Museum in Miami. With the realization

with the founding of the Centre d’Art by Dewitt C.

tap-tap was appropriately suggested as a unifying

and have balconies and tall wooden doors. The

that Haiti had lost so much of its cultural patrimony

Peters in 1943 in Port-au-Prince and continues with

theme for an exhibit celebrating Haitian Art and, by

children wearing school uniforms, ostensibly on their

Our journey would be incomplete without religion.

and that The Museum had numerous examples of

generations of painters, metal sculptors, printmakers

association, Haitian life. In our exhibit, papier-mâché

way to school, is a comment on childhood. As

Inspiration comes from both the Christian and Vodou

work by entire generations of Haitian artists, we

and object makers throughout the island. We are

tap-taps lead from one aspect of life to the next, just

Gérald Alexis explains: childhood is a prologue to

religions. Pieces by Fritznel Obin and Jacques

as an individual would ride a tap-tap to traverse the

adulthood and schoolchildren in uniform embody the

Valmidor prominently feature Christian churches,

city or even the whole country.

citizen of the future.3

while those by Jean Enguerrand Gourgue and

We begin in the countryside, les provinces, where the

The next stop is le marché, the marketplace, a

the religion, it provides Haitians comfort and hope for

landscape is lush and fertile and the peasants are

ubiquitous presence in every city and village, and yet

a better tomorrow.

well fed and happy. Nature’s abundance, as seen in

another popular theme in Haitian art. They are loud,

this iconography, shows what Haiti once was.

crowded spaces, where one can buy anything: live

This exhibit is a reflection of our hope for “yon lot Ayiti

Christopher Columbus headed to Ayiti, Kiskeya or

animals, produce, clothing and handicrafts. Jacques

– another, better Haiti” as we celebrate the country

Bohio, the island’s native names, because the natives

Pierrette’s interpretation provides a long view of a

through its art. We invite you to board our tap-taps

told him that it was the richest in the region. His ship,

Port-Au-Prince landmark, Le Marché en Fer (the Iron

and take a journey into Haiti’s art and life.

the Niña, landed at Môle Saint Nicolas on the island’s

Market), with a tap-tap parked in front. These market

northwest coast, and in his journal he recorded his

scenes manage to capture the vibrancy, tumult and

first sight: “…a field of trees of a thousand kinds all

noise one encounters at the marché.

2

decorations, often completed by anonymous artists,

backyards to the streets, a soccer ball is usually

reflect Haitian life and beliefs and, at times, mirror the

As so many Haitians do, we proceed from the

being kicked about. Music and dancing are also

iconography of paintings and sculpture.

countryside to la ville, the city. The street scene by the

important and all it takes is for someone to turn on

artist Lesly depicts the architecture of Haiti’s second

the radio for the dancing to begin. Our exhibit

largest city, Cap Haitien, where the homes are narrow

features scenes of both these pastimes.

Gerard Fortuné feature Vodou subjects. No matter

Stephanie Chancy Curator

Yvens Leger Tap-Tap, ca. 1983 Papier-mâché 20 x 30 x 5½ inches

Jacques Valmidor Untitled (Village Wedding), n.d.

Oil on canvas 24 x 22 inches

“First Voyage of Columbus: Meeting the Islanders (1492).” Athena Review, Vol. 1, no. 3. (http://www.athenapub.com/coluvoy1.htm, accessed April 4, 2010).

Benson, LeGrace, “Kiskeya-Lan Guinee-Eden: The Utopian Vision in Haitian Painting.” Callalloo, Vol. 15, No. 3, Haitian Literature and Culture, Part 2 (Summer 1992), pp. 726-734. (www.jstor.org/stable/2932015 accessed March 2, 2010) 3 Alexis, Gérald. Peintres Haïtiens (Paris: Éditions Cercle d’Art, 2000) p. 120 1 2

CHECKLIST OF THE EXHIBITION Jacques Nicolas Bellin Carte de l’Isle d’Hayti, 1754 Reproduction 40 x 26½ inches Green Library Special Collections Edouard Duval-Carrié Ayida Whedo, 1990 Mixed media on canvas with artist’s frame 31½ inches x 31½ inches Collection of Carol Damian FanFan Untitled (Market Scene), n.d.

Oil on canvas 30 x 40 inches Collection of Vicky Silvera Gerard Fortuné Untitled (Twins), n.d.

Oil on canvas 39¾ inches x 30 inches Gerard Fortuné Untitled, n.d.

Oil on board 24 x 24 inches Gerard Fortuné Untitled, n.d.

Oil on canvas 24⅛ x 36 inches Jean-Enguerrand Gourgue Untitled, n.d.

Oil on wood 39¾ x 29¾ inches

Yvens Leger Tap-Tap, ca. 1983 Papier-mâché 20 x 30 x 5½ inches

Unknown Artist Tap-Tap La Joie, ca. 1984 Papier-mâché 22 x 22 x 5 inches

Lesly Untitled (Street Scene), n.d.

Oil on canvas 25 x 21 inches

Unknown Artist Tap-Tap Silvers, n.d.

Papier-mâché 16 x 18 x 5 inches

Fritznel Obin Untitled (Street Scene with Church), 1992 Oil on canvas 23.75 x 29⅞ inches

Jacques Valmidor Untitled (Village Wedding), n.d.

Oil on canvas 24 x 22 inches

Gerard Paul Untitled (Dance), n.d.

Oil on board 24 x 24 inches Jacques Pierrette Untitled (Market Scene featuring the Iron Market), n.d.

Oil on canvas 30 x 40½ inches Lionel Simonis Tap-Tap Patience, 1982 Papier-mâché 21 x 24 x 4½ inches

Wagler Vital Country Scene, n.d.

Oil on canvas 25½ x 33 inches

TAP- TAP Celebrating The Art of Haiti May 26 - September 5, 2010

Wagler Vital Fishing Boats, n.d.

Oil on canvas 25½ x 33½ inches Wagler Vital Untitled (Boys in Soccer Uniforms), n.d.

Oil on canvas 25½ x 37½ inches

Jean Thermidor Untitled (School Yard Soccer Game), n.d.

Oil on canvas 23¾ x 31½ inches

Curatorial Assistant: Ana Estrada Catalog Design: Raymond Mathews The Frost Art Museum receives ongoing support from the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners; the State of Florida; the Steven & Dorothea Green Endowment; Funding Arts Network; Dade Community Foundation; Target; and the Members & Friends of The Frost Art Museum; The Miami Herald 2009-2010 Media Sponsor

Lionel Simonis Tap-Tap Patience, 1982 Papier-mâché 21 x 24 x 4½ inches Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program