Edouard Duval-Carrié, a Haitian-American artist who draws inspiration from his island culture, including Vodou, has been named Miami-Dade County’s new artist-in-residence.
The news was revealed during the artist panel discussion hosted by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs to commemorate 50 years of Art in Public Spaces. As the year’s artist-in-residence, Duval-Carrié will advance art education.
“It’s some sort of a recognition that I am a very serious artist, and also that I’ve done things for the city,” Duval-Carrié said. “I’m always, whenever I speak about Miami, I always say that it’s a very interesting space, and that has welcomed me particularly very well.”
Duval-Carrié, 69, who owns an art studio in Little Haiti, migrated to Puerto Rico at the age of 9 from Petionville, Haiti, when François Duvalier, commonly known as “Papa Doc,” was in power.
Duval-Carrié said the military government of François Duvalier ran up and down the streets brandishing rifles.
“It was tough. My parents were not fleeing, exactly, but we decided to leave because the schools were closed,” he said. “Everything was in turmoil back then.”
When Duval-Carrié visited Haiti at the age of 15, he became interested in the art industry and started studying the island’s history.
Jean-Claude, François’ son, popularly referred to as “Baby Doc,” was president this time. He said that the closest culture to Africa was Vodou in Haiti, where it was not filtered through the lens of Christianity.
Duval-Carrié’s paintings and installations have been shown in Europe and across the Americas and frequently deal with spirituality, history and migration, a news release says.
He is the second artist-in-residence in Miami-Dade County after Xavier Cortadain in 2022 whose work focused on climate problems.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava said Duval-Carrié’s artwork challenges conventional narratives and embraces the rich diversity of the Caribbean and beyond.
She said the work of public artists “breathe life into our neighborhoods, turning our streets, parks and public spaces into open galleries.”
“His art captivates and invites dialogue and reflection on our shared human experience,” she said.
This story was originally published in the Key Biscayne Independent, a WLRN News partner.
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