Bicentennial Conversations: An Interview with Ulrick Jean-Pierre By Edwidge Danticat (Excerpts)

(From Revolutionary Freedoms: A History of Survival, Strength and Imagination in Haiti. Edited by Cécile Accilien, Jessica Adams and Elmide Méléance. Copyright 2006, Excerpts of the interview is used with permission from Caribbean Studies Press)

Born in Roseaux, near the town of Jérémie in the lush southern region of Haiti, Ulrick Jean-Pierre started drawing at the age of four and painting when he was sixteen.
"I remember my first sketch looking more like a pig than the horse it was supposed to be," he recalls those early days now from his current home in New Orleans, Louisiana.
I had an uncle who was a sculptor; his name was Louius Jean-Louis. Once when I was four years old, I went to his studio and watched him as he drew a horse on the blackboard. Later, when he left to go to an art supply store, I stood on a chair and began sketching next to his horse. I remember being frustrated because I could not draw my horse to look like his, but I did not give up. While I was drawing, I realized to my horror that my elbow had accidentally rubbed off the original outline of my uncle's sketch! My uncle was a very mean person-he would beat us-and so after I realized what I did, I ran to my grandmother's house and crawled under her bed, where I hid for several hours. I found out a few days later that when my uncle returned from the art supply store he had found some kids including my twin sister, Claudette, playing in his studio, and he thought they had destroyed his horse. But that was my very first sketch. Since that time the pencil has never left my hand. Even when other children were playing, I was not tempted to leave my pad and pencil."

Edwidge Danticat: What do you convey through painting?

Ulrick Jean-Pierre: For me, painting is liberty; it is an open window of exploration into the infinite world of imagination. Painting is a universal language of self-expression; it describes and captures the essence of time and emotion in a concrete reality. My artistic creativity and expression is a charismatic force and a radiant energy in my life that electrifies my hopes and dreams. And it upholds the secret wisdom of love, peace, and harmony. My daily experience is a limitless spiritual exploration and a challenging emotional inspiration. The challenge is the powerful vehicle that makes the need to constantly create so exciting.

ED: I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes this need to create is as urgent as physical hunger; however, it can also be so thrilling. I can see it in your work, this urgency to bring something to life, not just to create, but also to recreate pieces of ourselves, fragments of dreams, memory, history that we might otherwise have lost. You are primarily known for your depiction of important moments in Haitian history. When did your interest in Haitian history start?

UJP: My fascination with Haiti's history began in my childhood, as early as I can remember. Haitian history was one of my preferred subjects in class because learning Haiti's glorious history was inspiring. I was always proud of being the son of a great history and culture. My early introduction and exposure to this unique history led me to investigate more in depth my own history, to uncover its essence and crystallize it upon my canvas. In 1977, when I emigrated from Haiti to Philadelphia, I was exposed to a treasure of historical documents on Haiti. I was able to live in a fertile environment that was the genesis of my historical art.

ED: So, you were lucky enough to have your love of Haitian history fed both inside and outside of Haiti. Some people leave Haiti and lose interest in Haiti due to lack of access and exposure to their culture in the United States. It seems like you found yourself even deeper in your study of Haitian history while living in Philadelphia.
You often write historical descriptions and sometimes poetry to accompany your paintings. I am thinking particularly of the poem you wrote for the Mother figure in your painting Crucified Liberty (Motherland). It states: "Since I won my crown of liberty, my dignity as a nurturing mother has been victimized." Do you see text or words as a way to develop or elaborate on your visual subjects?

UJP: A painting is often so profound that it makes it necessary for the artist to further elaborate its significance in writing.

ED: I like the way you elaborate through your images with words, as you say, without limiting the interpretation of others. I am curious: How do you choose the titles for your paintings? For example, Crucified Liberty (Motherland) seems to hint that you want the viewer to come away with a certain perspective after seeing this work. Do you want your paintings to have an educational as well as an aesthetic quality?

UJP: The titles of my paintings are always based on the captured subject. Since the title depicts an historical event of great significance, it embodies an educational as well as an aesthetic quality.

ED: As far as historical events of great significance, the historical figures in your work range from a portrait of the Taino Queen Anacaona to a depiction of Christopher Columbus's landing in the New World to the portrait of an African princess found on one of the album covers of the Haitian singer Carol Demesmin. How do you choose your subjects? Or do they choose you?

UJP: I would say that the subject matter chooses me. The vibrant spirits of my ancestors are exhibited through my entire being and select me as a spokesperson to paint the images of their greatness and of the subjects inspired through them.

ED: What about the more recent images from Haitian life? Would you say the same about them? Can they be made into art?

UJP: My contemporary subject matter originates from the depths of my consciousness, and is inspired by an urgency to communicate messages to the world, exposing reality's nakedness. As an artist, I sometimes find perfect beauty in the midst of life's imperfections. These effects, synthesized by extremes, often ignite my creative responses. Oftentimes, in an effort to capture the spirit of that beauty in another dimension, I venture beyond my perceptions to clarify its substance as a universal message. I have come to realize that I, as a product of life's imperfections, am perfectly imperfect. Human imperfection is the open gate to the logical path of life's experiences and challenges, and these often lead stimulated minds of various disciplines to great discoveries that contribute to the advancement of mankind. In the creation of my contemporary figurative subjects, my ultimate objective is to capture the simplicity of life as well as the essence of sincerity in the innocent smile of a child. My art is a tribute to Nature's unconditional generosity to mankind.

ED: What is it like for you to live and work in New Orleans, a city that, like the rest of Louisiana, has such strong historical and cultural connections to Haiti? I am thinking in particular of the Louisiana Purchase and the Haitian Revolution and its aftermath, which brought many Haitian slave owners to Louisiana. For many Louisianans who are of Haitian descent, Vodou has been embraced as an important part of their culture, even if in an occult, sensationalized way. In fact, you were featured on the PBS documentary series "Voodoo in New Orleans." In that context, you are considered an artist from New Orleans as well as a Haitian artist. How does living in New Orleans inspire your work?

UJP: New Orleans is not only an exciting place to live but also a constant source of inspiration for a Haitian-born artist. There is a well-known link between the Revolutionary period of Haiti and the socio-political development of Louisiana, especially New Orleans. In my research, I have learned that a multitude of links exist between Haiti and Louisiana that many historians have still not addressed in their work. I am currently working on a series of paintings that depict historical and cultural connections such as those inscribed in the Louisiana Purchase, the inspiration that the Saint-Domingue uprisings had on slaves in the U.S. South, and even the styles of architecture common to the two places. I have been living in Louisiana for the past eight years. There is a personal connection between my past and Louisiana history. It would take volumes to develop this particular subject. Suffice it to say that every day, every minute, and every second that I have lived in this magical, diverse city has reminded me of my beloved homeland. Haiti, chérie! "Bèl fanm kreyòl mwen!"

The complete interview is available in the book, Revolutionary Freedoms: A History of Survival, Strength and Imagination in Haiti. Edited by Cécile Accilien, Jessica Adams and Elmide Méléance. For more information, go to: www.caribbeanstudiespress.com