Ritualistic Pop Artist
The Three Erzulies / Ezilis yo Twa
2nd Ghetto Biennale 2011
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
A collaboration with Marie Ketty Paul
Project details:
• Toronto artist honours Haitian women's rights activist (409 kB)
• Ghetto Biennale Participating Artist (882 kB)
• Magalie Marcelin obituary (679 kB)
My media kit explains the original concept for this collaboration. Following is what it became, which were three Pakay Kongo (pronounced: pah-kay). You can also view Biennale photos in my archive.
The Three Erzulies / Ezilis yo twa
Marie Ketty Paul & Karen Miranda Augustine
(2011) Mixed Media / Pakay Kongo
Satin, pins, beads, sequins, feathers, cigars, knife, palm leaves, limestone and paper,
(outer two: Paul) 12 x 6 x 6 inches, (centre: Augustine) 26 x 10 x 10 inches
This work was a collaborative project for the 2nd Ghetto Biennale 2011, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, between myself and drapo artist Marie Ketty Paul, who has been running her atelier for 30 years.
Ketty is a hounsis. She created the two outer, smaller pakay in memory of two Vodouisants from the Bel Air district of Port-au-Prince. I created the centre one to honour Magalie Marcelin, co-founder of Kay Fanm (Women's House) — Haiti's first shelter for battered women — who was from Jacmel.
As luck would have it, two participating artists knew Magalie's daughter, Maïle Alphonse. And in January 2012, my piece was gifted to her and remains in Haiti. Maïle has kept it next to a picture of her mother and a painting of Queen Anacaona of Haiti.
Collaborating artist Marie Ketty Paul, outside her atelier in the Bel Air district of Port-au-Prince, Haiti