It didn’t get light here properly all day, the weather continuing dismal and stormy in turns. It was just too dark to do anything constructive in the insufficient light of energy-saving lightbulbs. Then my cosily-lit iPad screen cut through the murk and came forth with these beautiful sculptures. Joy to the soul!
Vodou is the artistic expression of the religion of Vodou, building on elements from both African and European religious traditions. Liautaud’s fer découpé proved a perfect medium for his vision. Fer découpé (French) or fè dekoupe (Creole) means “forged” or “wrought iron.” Haitian artists had begun to refashion discarded steel oil drums to create two-dimensional pieces in the mid-20th century by hammering, forging, and chiseling flattened iron sheets obtained from discarded steel oil drums; a vernacular, recycled art, portraying a spirited and vivid vision.
Meanwhile, I’m off to watch the Turner Prize on TV now …