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HAITI / VOODOO ART
STORY: HAITI / VOODOO ART
TRT: 4.10
SOURCE: MINUSTAH
RESTRICTIONS; NONE
LANGUAGE: CREOLE / NATS
DATE: MAY 2009, PORT-AU- PRINCE, HAITI
1. Tilt up, sign “Welcome to Isidor Gallery”
2. Med shot, people working with beads
3. Pan right, from beads putting in a row to needle
4. Med shot, groups of young people working with beads
5. Close up, guy sewing on a piece of art
6. Med shot, guy sewing + him in profile
7. Med shot, young people working
8. Close up, voodoo flag
9. Pan left, voodoo flags
10. Med shot, Jean Baptiste arrives in the shot with bottles in front
11. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Jean Baptiste Jean Joseph, artist:
“I started with this kind of work in the 90’s. Since then I had encountered many difficulties in the accomplishment of my work, sometimes there are problems to get material to which I am confronted, sometimes there are inconveniences linked to the life (here in Haiti). However, despite all, I continued because i t was a dream I had and this is why I want to go to the end.”
12. Close up, voodoo flag
13. Close up, voodoo flag
14. Close up, voodoo doll
15. Pan right, beads, flags, purses, jewelry
16. Tilt up, evening dress
17. Close up, pearls of evening dress
18. Tilt down, Kay Atizan from ‘L’artisanat de Qualite’
19. Wide shot, shop inside
20. Med shot, voodoo bottles with beads
21. Wide shot, shop, with owner passing
22. Close up, handbag
23. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Simone AUDANT-AMBROISE, owner of Gallery Kay Atizan:
“Jean Baptiste is an artist who works in the beads, is different than the others who work currently in the same domaine and of whom I possess art pieces here in my gallery. He is always looking to go further than the majority of the other artists. In general, the clients like pastiches and this is a big problem which we face. But Jean Baptiste dissociates himself from this category. He took a different direction; he is always looking for innovation, to create something new. We can remark that he has created a new style, a modern style in his art pieces.”
24. Close up, voodoo flags
25. Med shot, Jean Baptiste’s flags on the wall and stone sculptures
26. Pan right, from flag to another flag
27. Close up, little voodoo flags
28. Med shot, Simone Ambroise explaining and showing artist work
29. Med shot, voodoo flag from above
30. Close up, working on tiger
31. Close up, working from below and above
32. Close up, working from below on an art piece
33. Med shot, young people working at the atelier
34. Med shot, guys working
35. Med shot, two guys sitting and putting beads together
36. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Vitelhomme Innocent, Apprenti:
“I met Jean Baptiste Jean Joseph who is a great artist. He has decided to help us not only from an economic point of view. He also gives young people an opportunity while enabling them to acquire knowledge artistic so that tomorrow they do not fall into the delinquency.”
37. Pan right, over table with bottles to wooden and stone pieces
38. Close up, ball with beads
39. Close up, little pots
40. Close up, woman on a flag
41. Pan right, voodoo flag
42. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Simone Audant-Ambroise, owner of Kay Atizan Gallery:
“I usually advice artists such as Jean Baptiste to study the prices of wholesaler which will make the customers to be more interested in the purchase of the artists work. However, I must acknowledge it is not something which can be easily made for the bead work if we take into account the quality of the work which is proposed. It is easier to find customers who buy the metal work because it is cheaper or the horn which is also cheaper. Customers are more interested to get small products like the small purses and money purses.”
43. Pan right, over little purses and bags
44. Close up, flag of New York
45. Close up, flag with 3 people in it
46. Pan right, voodoo flag with little voodoo symbols on it
47. Med shot, voodoo flag
48. Med shot, swimming suit with beads
49. Close up, flag with ‘rasta’ guy
50. Zoom out, flag on shop
To step in the “Gallery Isidor” of Jean Baptiste Jean Joseph is like a deep breath in Haiti’s culture. Visitors will see plenty of beads, all lined up – one by one. Long files are all over, young people sewing pearls and beads on pieces of cotton, silk and velour. Then in the end, the final product: Some outstanding artistic work of voodoo flags.
Jean Baptiste Jean Joseph stands out among the new generation of voodoo flag makers by making finely beaded pieces.
SOUNDBITE (Creole) ITV Jean Baptiste Jean Joseph, Artiste:
“I started with this kind of work in the 90’s. Since then I had encountered many difficulties in the accomplishment of my work, sometimes there are problems to get material to which I am confronted, sometimes there are inconveniences linked to the life (here in Haiti). However, despite all, I continued because i t was a dream I had and this is why I want to go to the end.”
According to this dream, he started producing colorful voodoo flags. Later on he worked on voodoo dolls, pillow cases, jewelry and little bags. Even gala dresses are now part of his work.
Galleries in Petion-ville such as “Kay Atizan” sell the art work of Jean Baptiste – and promote the artistes to national and international clients.
SOUNDBITE (Creole) Simone Audant-Ambroise, Gallery Kay Atizan:
“Jean Baptiste as an artist who works in the beads, is different than the others who work currently in the same domaine and of whom I possess art pieces here in my gallery. He is always looking to go further than the majority of the other artists. In general, the clients like pastiches and this is a big problem which we face. But Jean Baptiste dissociates himself from this category. He took a different direction; he is always looking for innovation, to create something new. We can remark that he has created a new style, a modern style in his art pieces.”
Jean Baptiste’s secret of success, still drawing on the Voodoo imagery but also creating original design.
Twenty-four people are working in his atelier in Croix des Bouquets, ten of them are apprentis.
SOUNDBITE (Creole) Vitelhomme Innocent, Apprenti:
“I met Jean Baptiste Jean Joseph who is a great artist. He has decided to help us not only from an economic point of view. He also gives young people an opportunity while enabling them to acquire knowledge artistic so that tomorrow they do not fall into the delinquency.”
The only problem with the artistic pieces is that export costs are high and that the perlage in itself is already quite expensive.
SOUNDBITE (Creole) Simone Audant-Ambroise, Gallery Kay Atizan:
“I usually advice artists such as Jean Baptiste to study the prices of wholesaler which will make the customers to be more interested in the purchase of the artists work. However, I must acknowledge it is not something which can be easily made for the bead work if we take into account the quality of the work which is proposed. It is easier to find customers who buy the metal work because it is cheaper or the horn which is also cheaper. Customers are more interested to get small products like the small purses and money purses.”
Therefore little practical items such as purses, bags and jewelry can be found in Jean Baptiste’s shop – but as well beautiful and expensive artwork which is for decoration and collection. On bigger pieces such as huge voodoo flags, four persons worked up to two months which makes it an exclusive and expensive art piece.
Jean Baptiste’s design and style is demanded – by his students to learn more about the art of perlage. But also by the clients who can find a variety of Haitian, modern and voodoo pieces in his gallery.
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