Haitian Art from the Heartland to Miami’s Little Haiti

“Untitled” by Richard Nesly is one of 16 featured works in the public art exhibition “Global Borderless Caribbean XVI: Haiti in the Heartland” at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex. (Photo courtesy of Waterloo Center for the Arts)

Haitian art has journeyed from Iowa to the walls of Miami’s Little Haiti.

Titled “Global Borderless Caribbean XVI: Haiti in the Heartland,” the public art exhibition, is a collaboration of the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance, the Waterloo Center for the Arts in Waterloo, Iowa, and the “Haitian Arts: A Digital Crossroads” (HADC) project.

It also received support from Haitian artist Edouard Duval-Carrié, photographer Carl Juste, and curator Marie Vickles.

The exhibition at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex through Saturday, April 19, features reproductions rather than original artworks. “We didn’t display the original artworks because they would be exposed to the elements,” explains Fayola Nicaisse, one of the curators and the chairperson for the Miami-based Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance. “Instead, we used high-resolution images, which were enlarged for the exhibit. We printed these images, ensuring the collection could be shared without risking damage to the original pieces.”

“Saut-D’eau” by Gerard Valcin (Photo courtesy of the Waterloo Center for the Arts)

This is the first time the digitized artwork has been presented in this format. They originally came from a significant Haitian art collection at the Waterloo Center for the Arts.

“The Waterloo Center for the Arts Haitian Art collection started in 1977 by a generous donation by Waterloo residents Dr. and Mrs. F. Harold Reuling,” says Chawne Paige, executive director of the arts center. “This collection has since grown to over 2,000 works and is the largest public collection of Haitian art in the United States, if not the world, outside of Haiti itself.”

For the Miami exhibit, 16 digitized artworks pulled from the collection have been selected and showcased on the walls of the Little Haiti Cultural Complex. Paige reflects on the significance of the pieces being shown in an open space,

“Having murals commissioned or displaying art in public spaces removes the potential barriers to seeing the artwork that would require entrance into the galleries of a museum or in our cases that travel expense to come to the Midwest to see these works.”

From left, Fayola Nicaisse, one of the curators of the exhibition and chairperson of the Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance (Photo courtesy of Ebène), Chawne Paige, executive director of the Waterloo Center for the Arts in Iowa, which houses a significant collection of more than 2000 Haitian artworks (Photo by Chawne Paige), and Dr. Petrouchka Moïse who played a big part in digitizing the Haitian artworks. (Photo courtesy of Petrouchka Moïse)

The selection process for the exhibition was a collaborative effort between the different organizers. It involved reviewing thousands of pieces from the Waterloo Center’s collection and selecting those that best represented Haitian heritage.

“Our aim was to highlight the lush diversity of aesthetics, art forms, and mediums found in Haitian Art all the while being intentional about the representation of artists across the genders. Master artists alongside artists in the Haitian diaspora and their respective protégé make up WCA’s collection,” says Paige.

Nicaisse, who spearheaded the outdoor exhibit project, shared that she wanted to showcase a different genre of Haitian art.

“When people think of Caribbean art, they often picture scenic landscapes or beach paintings, but rarely fine art.”

Nicaisse’s vision was to create a space where Haitian art could take center stage, particularly in Little Haiti, a neighborhood that serves as a cultural hub for the Haitian diaspora. “When you visit Little Havana, you experience Cuban culture, its food, music, and traditions. The same should apply to Little Haiti,” she contends.

“Les Villes Imaginaires” (Imaginary Cities) by Préfête Duffaut (Photo courtesy of Waterloo Center for the Arts)

The exhibition’s title, “Haiti in the Heartland,” reflects the connection between Haiti and Iowa, where the Waterloo Center for the Arts houses its extensive collection. “The title was chosen by Dr. Petrouchka Moïse, who played a large part in digitizing the artworks,” says Nicaisse.

Moïse, assistant professor at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, is co-lead of the HADC project with Dr. Fredo Rivera,  assistant professor of Art History at Grinnell College. During the pandemic, Moïse close to 2,000 art objects from the Waterloo Center were digitized. “Throughout the project we have partnered with several cultural leaders, institutes and scholars to crowdsource the information needed.

Moïse talks about the importance of the HADC project. “(It) will be a benefit to Haitian artists and the global community by giving access to the works of other great Haitian artists that don the walls of institutions and centers across the Diaspora. Viewers will have the ability of learning of the various artforms and techniques that make up Haitian visual culture.”

As a cultural institution holding Haitian art and heritage in the American Midwest, the Waterloo Center had an obligation, according to Paige.

“Any institution that has holdings of cultural objects that are not reflective of its constituent communities has a responsibility to share these cultural items with the public,” he says. “For the Waterloo Center for the Arts, it is an opportunity to broaden the world view of Midwesterners, while also instilling an appreciation of diversity and the global community.”

“Peacock in Tree” by Rigaud Benoit (Photo courtesy of the Waterloo Center for the Arts)

The exhibition at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex also serves as a platform for educating the public about Haitian culture and history. For Nicaisse and Paige, the exhibition’s broader goal is not only to showcase art but to combat the misrepresentations and stereotypes that often surround Haiti.

Nicaisse recalled how, when she first arrived in the United States, there was a stigma attached to being Haitian. “I was even advised not to disclose my heritage,” she says. “That experience fueled my determination to educate others about who we are.”

Paige spoke of the erasure of Haiti’s accomplishments, especially in the context of American history. “The oppression and erasure of Haiti’s accomplishments long before freedoms were provided to Blacks in America is a nuance of American History that truly needs to be unpacked, yet alone be reflected on by the public,” he explains. “The American History I was taught as a Black man is very problematic, skewed, simplified and omits large swaths of the narrative of the millions of Africans brought to the Americas.”

“Untitled” by Paul Lalibert (Photo courtesy of the Waterloo Center for the Arts)

By bringing these artwork replicas to Little Haiti, the organizers hope to inspire a deeper appreciation for Haiti’s contributions to the global cultural landscape.

“Haiti has an incredibly rich culture. While the nation has faced hardships, every downfall presents an opportunity for renewal. This exhibition is part of a broader effort to educate people about our heritage,” says Nicaisse.

WHAT:  “Global Borderless Caribbean XVI: Haiti in the Heartland”

WHERE: Little Haiti Cultural Complex, 212 NE 59th Terrace, Miami

WHEN: Through Saturday, April 19

COST: Free

INFORMATION: (305) 960-2969 or Little Haiti Cultural Complex

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