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Shneider Hillaire: Rituals and Ceremonies Opening Reception
May 11, 2023 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Shneider Léon Hilaire, “Rituals and Ceremonies”
the first exhibition of the artist’s work outside of Haiti
Green Space Miami and Axelle Liautaud host an opening reception: Thursday, May 11th, 2023 5-8 pm
“The collective imagination of the Haitian population is where I find my inspiration – particularly in the beliefs, myths, and traditions that I find very rich and that need to be shared and preserved.” Shneider Léon Hilaire
The body of work presented in Rituals and Ceremonies was produced between 2021 and 2023 at a time of a collective existential crisis in Haiti and more precisely in Port-au-Prince, where Shneider lives. The inspiration for these works reflects the needs of people living in Haiti today, while faced with threatening situations daily, to find meaning in healing and traditional rituals and beliefs. Hilaire’s paintings reveal a great deal of knowledge of these traditions uncommon to find in someone of his generation. Shneider’s work is shrouded in a veil that conveys images of a world where a separation between the living and the dead does not exist and where miracles are still possible. This exhibition was Shneider’s first show outside of Haiti and features a collection of artifacts from Vodou temples. The show was curated by Axelle Liautaud.
Schneider Léon Hilaire (b. 1990) is a Haitian artist based in Port-au-Prince. He began teaching himself the rudiments of drawing by reproducing cartoon characters at an early age, and later sharpened his sense of observation and reflection by making self-portraits. As Hilaire began to receive commissions, he decided to focus on portraiture. He became committed to art-making and familiarized himself with the techniques of realistic painting. In 2016, he registered at Le Centre d’Art de Port-au-Prince, where he developed his style and visual language with the training of internationally renowned artists, such as Mario Benjamin, Marie Hélène Cauvin, and Frantz Zéphirin.
Libations for La Siren 40”x50”
Healing Power of the Sea II 40”x50”
Ceremony for Agwé 40”x50”
All paintings acrylic on canvas