(Davenport, Iowa - September, 2011) The Figge Art Museum will open the exhibition Restoring the Spirit: Celebrating Haitian Art on Saturday, September 17, 2011. Organized by the Figge Art Museum, the exhibition features works from the museums extensive Haitian Collection and will run through January 15, 2012.
Located in the Caribbean on the western third of the island of Hispaniola, Haiti has endured a turbulent and often bloody political history that has left the republic destitute and vulnerable to environmental disasters. Colonial rule and a series of corrupt and exploitative governments squandered the natural riches of the land and depleted its financial resources. Despite such hardships Haiti has developed a flourishing artistic tradition that speaks to the vitality of Haitian culture. Ranging from vibrant paintings to sculpture created from reused oil drums, the exhibition Restoring the Spirit- Celebrating Haitian Art pays homage to Haiti's rich visual traditions and the indomitable spirit of the Haitian people in the face of adversity.
Restoring the Spirit: Celebrating Haitian Art is the Figge's second exhibition of Haitian art; the 2006 exhibition, Edouard Duval-Carrié: Migration of the Spirit, featured works by Miami based Haitian artist Edouard Duval-Carrié. Works by Duval-Carrié will be featured in the current exhibition and the artist will host an Art Talk at the Figge on Thursday, October 13. For further information on the exhibition and related programming, visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.
The Figge's Haitian Collection is one of the first and most comprehensive collections of Haitian art in the United States. The collection was established through a gift from Davenport native Dr. Walter E. Neiswanger and charts the growth and development of the country's rich artistic tradition from its origins in the 1940s through today.
Support for Restoring the Spirit has been provided by the Iowa Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, and Ralph and Jennifer Saintfort.
The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, Sundays 12-5 p.m. and Thursdays 10 a.m.- 9p.m. To contact the museum, please call 563.326.7804, or visit our website, www.figgeartmuseum.org.
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