Who Killed Haiti?
This current body of work investigates the Tonton Macoute, the Haitian paramilitary force created in 1959 by dictator Francois Duvalier. Dinasti Duvalier (The Duvalier dynasty) was a hereditary dictatorship that lasted almost 30 years. Only two years after becoming president, Papa Doc created the paramilitary, whose uniform consists of daunting masks. I was intrigued in the use of a mask as a uniform for policing. Which began the initial framework for my work. This body of work investigates the uniform and it’s use as a tool to uphold power and change one’s identity. Music by Dechie
The coffin lid was created by Serge Jolimeau and Rony Jacques. The coffins initial inspiration came from a photograph taken by Alex Webb in 1987 titled Memorial for Victims of Army Violence. After viewing this image, I began to think further of my exploration of the uniform in relation to the Tonton Macoute. Alex Webb’s image was taken over a decade after the dictator and founder of the Tonton Macoute’s Francois Duvalier, also known as Papa Doc’s, death.
The Funeral’s Uniform, 2023
Recycled oil drums
170cm x 85cm