Lonbraj

Acrylic paint on canvas. 2024. 10”x8”. Original.

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This series “Lakay toujou nan kè’m” (I carry home in my heart) consists of 14 paintings based on close-up photographs of spaces within my family home in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It’s part of my final installation for my 6 month research grant project that took place from April 2024 to end of September 2024.
As a painter, I often blend reality with fantasy, but this series pushed me to focus more on realism and intricate details. These works hold deep personal and emotional significance for me, especially in light of the ongoing gang violence and instability in Haiti.
The uncertainty surrounding when my parents will be able to return, when my siblings and I can visit again, or even whether we will lose the house entirely, weighs heavily on my mind.
The photos were taken during my stay from late 2020 to early 2021, in the midst of the Covid pandemic.
My mother designed the house, adding an additional layer of connection to these intimate portrayals.