Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoUnifeed
HAITI / STREET ART
STORY: HAITI / STREET ART
TRT: 4.45
SOURCE: MINUSTAH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: CREOLE / NATS
DATELINE: 8 FEBRUARY 2010, PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI
1. Wide shot, street with painter in the back
2. Med shot, man working on a painting
3. Close up, painter
4. Close up painting being made
5. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Pierre Jean Elie, street painter:
“The essential element that you would put in such a painting would be the crumbling houses and people crying for help and say Jesus, Jesus. For that you need a lot of creativity and imagination. It was already difficult to make a living of art. But now that the situation has worsened it is becoming impossible.”
6. Pan left, painting on a wall
7. Close up, painting
8. Various shots, painter working
9. Tilt up, painting of Toussaint L’Ouverture
10. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Pierre Jean Elie, street painter:
“He (his friend) always used to say that he would die in his country. It is as if his imagination came true. He was working on Monday and called me so that I could come and take two paintings. On Tuesday he died. He had taken a break and went home to watch a game of the African Football Cup. He was resting when the earthquake started. He didn’t even have time to escape before the house collapsed on him.”
11. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Pierre Jean Elie, street painter:
“I’ve got two of his paintings. Even though business has died away, I am showing these paintings, but they are not for sale. Of course I could ask some money for it, but if I sold them, it would be like selling my friend’s soul. No I can’t sell them.”
12. Pan left, from wall to painting
13. Close up, painter working
14. Med shot, painter
15. Close up, brush on painting
16. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Berthony Saint Phard, street painter:
“These paintings are not realistic, but I made them as impressionist. So, as soon as someone watches them, they know it is showing the catastrophe. Those who have not been here will see that these are Haitian houses and when they see the cracked pillars, they will know it is handling about the earthquake.”
17. Various shots, painting showing scenes of earthquake
18. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Berthony Saint Phard , street painter:
“Many people will be interested in this painting. Some of them might not want to buy it, because it carries bad memories. But for people living abroad, in the diaspora, who have followed the events on internet, they will see that this is how reality looked like.”
19. Various shots, painting details of earthquake scenes
20. Wide shot, paintings hanging in the street
One of Haiti’s richest resources is its paintings, recognized throughout the world for their bold colors and images.
Last month’s earthquake not only destroyed homes, but many of the country’s rich culture and artists.
Pierre Jean Elie has been painting for the last 12 years, His friend and master teacher Claude Mathurin did not survive. Like many people here, Pierre Jean hasn’t come to terms with what happened. He is unable to paint the events.
SOUNDBITE (Creole) Pierre Jean Elie, street painter:
“The essential element that you would put in such a painting would be the crumbling houses and people crying for help and saying Jesus, Jesus. For that you need a lot of creativity and imagination. It was already difficult to make a living of art. But now that the situation has worsened it is becoming impossible.”
The quake is taking an economic toll on street artists too. With tourism at a stand still, there is no one to buy the art. Pierre Jean has two remaining paintings that were given to him by his teacher. All the rest were destroyed when his house collapsed.
Even though times are tough, he can’t bring himself to sell the paintings.
SOUNDBITE (Creole) Pierre Jean Elie, street painter:
“I’ve got two of his paintings. Even though business has died away, I am showing these paintings, but they are not for sale. Of course I could ask some money for it, but if I sold them, it would be like selling my friend’s soul. No I can’t sell them.”
Berthony Saint Phare has been painting earthquake scenes.
SOUNDBITE (Creole) Berthony Saint Phard, street painter:
“These paintings are not realistic, but I made them as impressionist. So, as soon as someone watches them, they know it is showing the catastrophe. Those who have not been here will see that these are Haitian houses and when they see the cracked pillars, they will know it is handling about the earthquake.”
He knows his paintings will not be bought by those who are trying to forget the bad memories. But he says he has a role to play in showing the rest of the world, and in particular to the Haitian people living abroad what really happened.
SOUNDBITE (Creole) Berthony Saint Phard, street painter:
“Many people will be interested in this painting. Some of them might not want to buy it, because it carries bad memories. But for people living abroad, in the diaspora, who have followed the events on internet, they will see that this is how reality looked like.”
It may be his own way of dealing with the trauma.
Download
There is no media available to download.
