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8052: Art exhibit in the Bronx



From: stacy pinero <mspinero@hotmail.com>

May  2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Gail Nathan or Stacy Pinero


Vodou, Veves and Voting:
Contemporary and Traditional Sequined Tapestries

By Haitian Artist Antoine Oleyant and Louisiana Artist Tina Girouard
At the Bronx River Art Center and Gallery
May 12 - June 16, 2001

Bronx, NY¡K.Bronx River Art Center and Gallery is pleased to present a 
stunning exhibition of contemporary and traditional sequined tapestries by 
Haitian artist Antoine Oleyant and Louisiana artist Tina Girourard. Entitled 
Vodou, Veves and Voting the exhibition of forty-three colorful works were 
produced over a three-year period in Port-au-Prince, Haiti during the height 
of the political unrest of the early 1990s. The show highlights a dynamic 
interchange between two artists of kindred cultures and creative spirits and 
their cross influence of aesthetics and ideas. It also demonstrates the 
focus and determination of these two individuals to produce this body of 
work while the very democracy that allowed for their union was under siege 
by dictator forces.

Antione Oleyant was born in a small peasant village, steeped in Vodou 
(spelled Voodoo in the US), located in the remote mountains on the southern 
part of Haiti. He moved to Port-au-Prince in 1971 to be an apprentice in the 
country¡¦s traditional arts. He is well known in his country, as well as 
internationally, for some of the most complex Vodou beaded flags. Girouard 
wrote about Oleyant¡¦s work: ¡§He was a
natural cubist and unlike other flag makers who depict a single image of one 
loa, or spirit, on a solid background, his works were composed of multiple 
images on a flowing background of color. The
cacophony of colors and images required the viewer to add up the parts in 
order to understand the whole. My own work has always required the same 
participation of the viewer so I knew we could communicate artistically.¡¨

Tina Girouard is an internationally recognized multi-disciplinary artist 
whose work has taken diverse
-more-

forms including performance art, installation, video, sculpture and 
painting. Born in DeQuincy, Louisiana she moved to New York City in 1968, 
beginning her exhibition history with a one person show at 112 Green Street 
Gallery, a forerunner of experimental contemporary spaces that are now an 
established part of the national cultural landscape. Girouard has continued 
to garner her greatest support from similar ¡§alternative spaces" including 
PS 1 and the Clocktower in New York City, the Contemporary Art Center of New 
Orleans and Diverse Works in Houston, TX. In 1984 she returned to her Cajun 
homeland in Louisiana and in 1991 she established an auxiliary studio in 
Porte-au-Prince, Haiti.

In 1990 Ms. Girouard visited Haiti seeking the assistance of a sequined 
tapestry artist to complete a project she was doing for the City of 
Lafayette, Louisiana. She visited several flag makers¡¦ studios, but it was 
when she entered Antoine Oleyant¡¦s studio that she knew instantly she had 
found a kindred spirit. That fateful meeting began a cross-cultural 
pollination of two artists working together and influencing each other over 
a three-year period. At the same time the political situation in Haiti had 
been escalating, and in the fall of 1991 it erupted into an outright coup 
d¡¦etat, forcing President Aristide into exile in Venezuela. With 
difficulty, Girouard and Oleyant continued to work throughout this period of 
political turmoil.  During this time both Girouard and Oleyant greatly 
influenced one another.  Girouard came to embrace certain voodoo spirits and 
iconography and Oleyant¡¦s work gave voice to current social and political 
events.

Tragically, just as the two artists completed work on their first 
collaborative tapestry, Oleyant suffered a massive stroke and passed away. 
UNDER A SPELL, the first of what was to be a whole body of collaborative 
works was the last piece the artists made together. This exhibition of over 
50 sequined tapestries demonstrates the flourishing of this dynamic exchange 
of ideas and aesthetics, culminating in a singular collaborative work.

On June 16, Tina Girouard will give a lecture at 4 PM to discuss the nature 
of her collaboration with Antoine Oleyant.
						####

*Gallery Hours: Monday - Friday, 3 - 6 PM / Saturday, 12 - 5 PM, or by 
appointment

Travel Directions:
?h Train: IRT #2 or #5 to East Tremont Avenue.  Walk one block east to Bronx 
St.
?h Bus: #'s 9, 21, 36, 40, 42, or Q44 to East Tremont Avenue and Boston 
Road.
?h Car: Bruckner Expressway to the Sheridan Expressway, exit at Tremont 
Avenue or Cross Bronx Expressway to Rosedale Avenue.




May 21, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Gail Nathan or Stacy Pinero



Louisiana Artist Tina Girouard to Lecture for
Closing of Vodou, Veves and Voting
***
June 16, 2001
Closing Reception 3 - 6 PM
Lecture at 4:00 PM

Bronx, NY¡K.Bronx River Art Center is planning a special closing event  on 
June 16th to honor featured artist Tina Girourad who will speak about the 
depth of her collaboration with noted Haitian sequined artist Antione 
Oleyant.  Ms. Girouard will also address her travels and explorations in 
Haiti during the tense political period when President Aristide was ousted 
from office through to his subsequent return in 1994. In addition to 
discussing the development of the overall body of work presented in the 
exhibition, Tina will address the general artistic, social, political and 
economic issues in Haiti.  This program is free and open to the public.
						####

*Gallery Hours: Monday - Friday, 3 - 6 PM / Saturday, 12 - 5 PM, or by 
appointment

Travel Directions:
?h Train: IRT #2 or #5 to East Tremont Avenue.  Walk one block east to Bronx 
St.
?h Bus: #'s 9, 21, 36, 40, 42, or Q44 to East Tremont Avenue and Boston 
Road.
?h Car: Bruckner Expressway to the Sheridan Expressway, exit at Tremont 
Avenue or Cross Bronx Expressway to Rosedale Avenue.


These events are made possible with public funds from the New York State 
Council on the Arts, a state agency.  Additional support is provided by the 
New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, Bronx Council 
on the Arts,  The Chase Manhattan Foundation, Community Assets, a program of 
the New York Foundation for the Arts, through generous funding from the 
Rockefeller Foundation, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, 
Materials for the Arts, Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer and the 
Bronx Delegation of the New York City Council.

May  2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Gail Nathan or Stacy Pinero


Vodou, Veves and Voting:
Contemporary and Traditional Sequined Tapestries

By Haitian Artist Antoine Oleyant and Louisiana Artist Tina Girouard
At the Bronx River Art Center and Gallery
May 12 - June 16, 2001

Bronx, NY¡K.Bronx River Art Center and Gallery is pleased to present a 
stunning exhibition of contemporary and traditional sequined tapestries by 
Haitian artist Antoine Oleyant and Louisiana artist Tina Girourard. Entitled 
Vodou, Veves and Voting the exhibition of forty-three colorful works were 
produced over a three-year period in Port-au-Prince, Haiti during the height 
of the political unrest of the early 1990s. The show highlights a dynamic 
interchange between two artists of kindred cultures and creative spirits and 
their cross influence of aesthetics and ideas. It also demonstrates the 
focus and determination of these two individuals to produce this body of 
work while the very democracy that allowed for their union was under siege 
by dictator forces.

Antione Oleyant was born in a small peasant village, steeped in Vodou 
(spelled Voodoo in the US), located in the remote mountains on the southern 
part of Haiti. He moved to Port-au-Prince in 1971 to be an apprentice in the 
country¡¦s traditional arts. He is well known in his country, as well as 
internationally, for some of the most complex Vodou beaded flags. Girouard 
wrote about Oleyant¡¦s work: ¡§He was a
natural cubist and unlike other flag makers who depict a single image of one 
loa, or spirit, on a solid background, his works were composed of multiple 
images on a flowing background of color. The
cacophony of colors and images required the viewer to add up the parts in 
order to understand the whole. My own work has always required the same 
participation of the viewer so I knew we could communicate artistically.¡¨

Tina Girouard is an internationally recognized multi-disciplinary artist 
whose work has taken diverse
-more-

forms including performance art, installation, video, sculpture and 
painting. Born in DeQuincy, Louisiana she moved to New York City in 1968, 
beginning her exhibition history with a one person show at 112 Green Street 
Gallery, a forerunner of experimental contemporary spaces that are now an 
established part of the national cultural landscape. Girouard has continued 
to garner her greatest support from similar ¡§alternative spaces" including 
PS 1 and the Clocktower in New York City, the Contemporary Art Center of New 
Orleans and Diverse Works in Houston, TX. In 1984 she returned to her Cajun 
homeland in Louisiana and in 1991 she established an auxiliary studio in 
Porte-au-Prince, Haiti.

In 1990 Ms. Girouard visited Haiti seeking the assistance of a sequined 
tapestry artist to complete a project she was doing for the City of 
Lafayette, Louisiana. She visited several flag makers¡¦ studios, but it was 
when she entered Antoine Oleyant¡¦s studio that she knew instantly she had 
found a kindred spirit. That fateful meeting began a cross-cultural 
pollination of two artists working together and influencing each other over 
a three-year period. At the same time the political situation in Haiti had 
been escalating, and in the fall of 1991 it erupted into an outright coup 
d¡¦etat, forcing President Aristide into exile in Venezuela. With 
difficulty, Girouard and Oleyant continued to work throughout this period of 
political turmoil.  During this time both Girouard and Oleyant greatly 
influenced one another.  Girouard came to embrace certain voodoo spirits and 
iconography and Oleyant¡¦s work gave voice to current social and political 
events.

Tragically, just as the two artists completed work on their first 
collaborative tapestry, Oleyant suffered a massive stroke and passed away. 
UNDER A SPELL, the first of what was to be a whole body of collaborative 
works was the last piece the artists made together. This exhibition of over 
50 sequined tapestries demonstrates the flourishing of this dynamic exchange 
of ideas and aesthetics, culminating in a singular collaborative work.

On June 16, Tina Girouard will give a lecture at 4 PM to discuss the nature 
of her collaboration with Antoine Oleyant.
						####

*Gallery Hours: Monday - Friday, 3 - 6 PM / Saturday, 12 - 5 PM, or by 
appointment

Travel Directions:
?h Train: IRT #2 or #5 to East Tremont Avenue.  Walk one block east to Bronx 
St.
?h Bus: #'s 9, 21, 36, 40, 42, or Q44 to East Tremont Avenue and Boston 
Road.
?h Car: Bruckner Expressway to the Sheridan Expressway, exit at Tremont 
Avenue or Cross Bronx Expressway to Rosedale Avenue.



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