Nathan Etienne

NATHAN ETIENNE (Haiti, 20th century).
"View of Haiti".
Mixed media on canvas.
Signed in the lower right area.
Measurements: 91.5 x 61 cm; 94 x 63 cm (frame).
The Haitian naïf paintings are distinguished by their marked expressiveness and chromatic richness. The artists who cultivate this style manifest a deep vitality and enthusiasm for existence through the predominant use of intense and saturated colors, such as violet, blue, yellow and red. This visual language, spontaneous and direct in appearance, has its roots in the 19th century as a unique reinterpretation of French colonial artistic currents, adapted to the Haitian cultural context. This stylistic evolution is closely related to the island's popular traditions, strongly influenced by the African legacy brought by the enslaved populations from sub-Saharan Africa, whose cultural expressions survived and transformed over the generations. Today, Haiti has a vibrant and dynamic art scene, reflected in the existence of numerous galleries dedicated to the promotion of this art, among which the Nader Art Gallery and the Galerie Marassa stand out, fundamental institutions for the diffusion of Haitian art both nationally and internationally.