Claudel Casseus (born in Port-au-Prince, 1981) was a visiting artist from Haiti.
I was raised in the ghetto neighborhood of Grand Rue, where art and creativity is a primary activity. Thanks to this, from a young age, I was able to cultivate the natural talent with which every human is born: Art. In 2008, I joined the artists’ group of Grand Rue, called Atis-Rezistans.
In 2009 I had the chance to participate the first Ghetto Biennial, organized by Atis-Rezistans and Leah Gordon. During the Biennale I had the good fortune to meet the British artist, Bill Drummond, with whom I collaborated to write a book, Imajine, describing life during and after the earthquake in 2010. I have also participated in many art exhibitions showing my work in recycled Vodou sculpture.
I grew up in a large ghetto in Port-au-Prince, a place that has a lot of trash around. I take advantage of this situation by creating artwork with the same garbage found in the community. I think this is a way to educate people who live in the area, to make people understand that it is not necessary to keep throwing trash in the street. Because with art, any number of things can be created. Definitely, art is a means of communication with everyone, regardless of social differences. Art can help a person to manage the frustration inside him and it enables you to say what you feel is happening in the world, whether positive or negative. Therefore, I think a person who chooses to make art is a person who wants to collaborate with the world.
Photos and press release for this artist.
Residency: August 2013 - September 2013
Art Exhibition: Friday, September 20 & Saturday, September 21