Mon 12th December, 2011
A Lecturer from the University of Bedfordshire wants to introduce the world to the remarkable art produced in Haiti.
Photography and video arts lecturer Leah Gordon is curating the Ghetto Biennale on the island, which puts Haitian art under the spotlight.
Leah, who flew out to Haiti in November, said: “Not everyone knows about the creativity and what goes on there. In a country so materially poor, their culture seems to be very rich. People will get something to take away with them that they would never find in a book.”
Leah organised the event with the Grand Rue Sculptors, a community of artists from the neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince on Haiti, who hope their unique art will help them escape the terrible poverty on the island.
Leah said: “The Grand Rue Sculptors, who have a collective called Atis-Rezistans (meaning artists’ resistance), are increasingly aware that there is an international global art scene out there and want the chance to connect with it. The Ghetto Biennale is a way of bringing part of that art world to the doorsteps of artists who have not had the means to travel themselves. Since the first Ghetto Biennale some of the artists have studied at Pratt’s Institute in Brooklyn in America, made site-specific work in Stockholm and taken part in The Venice Biennale.’
This is the second time the Grand Rue Sculptors and Leah have hosted the Ghetto Biennale, and 150 artists applied to take part. The selected 50 artists, film-makers, academics, photographers, musicians, architects and writers from around the world arrive in Haiti this week and spend several weeks taking inspiration from the environment around them before presenting their creations to the people of Port-au-Prince in December.
Leah has been working in Haiti for more than 20 years, producing a book of photography called Kanaval, which was published last year.
One of Leah’s images from Haiti will also be used in the set for the dance collaboration, UNDANCE, which will be performed at Sadler’s Wells in London. The set was designed by Turner prize-winning visual artist Mark Wallinger.
Leah said: “The dance is inspired by the sculptor Richard Serra and photographer Eadweard Muybridge so it is an honour to be involved.”
More information about Ghetto Biennale can be found at www.ghettobiennale.com
Latest news» 2011» December» Senior lecturer curates exhibition in Haiti
