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Haitian Diaspora Oral History Collection
Interview with Viktor El-Saieh
Port-au-Prince, Haiti, June 19, 2012
Interview ASM0085000022
Interviewed by Kevin Mason
Recorded by Kevin Mason
Outline by Kevin Mason and Xavier Mercado
Length: 21:11 minutes
Interview with Viktor El-Saieh, a painter who works in both Miami and Port-au-Prince. He is the grandson of celebrated Haitian bandleader Issa El-Saieh, who amassed a large private collection of Haitian art. His family now runs the El-Saieh Gallery in Port-au-Prince, which has frequent visitors during weekends by appointment. Over the years, the gallery housed many well-known Haitian artists who worked and painted on the grounds. At the time of the interview, El-Saieh was the only artist painting there. In the interview, which takes place a year after his Historical Precedence opening in Miami, he discusses his current work and future plans. He also talks about the present state of the El-Saieh Gallery, as well the work he is doing on commission for a private collector.
This interview forms part of the Haitian Diaspora Oral History Collection of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections.
This oral history expresses the views, memories and opinions of the interviewee. It does not represent the viewpoints of the University of Miami, its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The University of Miami makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interview and expressly disclaims any liability therefor.
Copyright to this interview lies with the University of Miami. It may not be reproduced, retransmitted, published, distributed, or broadcast without the permission of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections. For information about obtaining copies or to request permission to publish any part of this interview, please contact Special Collections at asc@miami.edu.
Viktor El-Saieh 2
June 19, 2012
INTERVIEW OUTLINE
− 00:00:12: Introduction – Well it’s a pleasure to be here with Victor El-Saieh in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Please give us your name and a little information about you. It is Tuesday, June 19th, 2012, and we’re in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, recording Victor El-Saieh.
− 00:01:03: We spoke in March of last year [in an earlier interview] at the opening of your show Historical Precedence. It’s been a year on since and you’ve experienced a change of scenery from Miami to Haiti. Can you give us a recap of what’s been going on in the past year?
− 00:02:26: You’re still taking on leadership objects, but you’re also taking on more abstract stuff like the Charles Oscar piece. Can you talk a little bit about that?
− 00:03:36: And you’re depicting it in a way where it’s not just the actual person. It’s someone else’s interpretation that had lampooned that figure.
− 00:04:09: And Oscar was like that and he was portrayed with a big mouth…
− 00:04:29: You’ve recently been commissioned for a couple of works. Can you talk about the subject matter that kind of deviates from the Haitian leadership?
− 00:05:10: What is some of the thematic imagery from the new commissions?
− 00:05:35: You’ve been working here in the [El-Saieh] Gallery. Talk about some of the other artists who have been here and worked historically.
− 00:06:33: Kind of like an artistic konbit?
− 00:07:00: You recently graduated from FIU. Have you been looking into other academic fields or artistic fields [for graduate school]?
− 00:08:06: As an artist with an urban planning degree, you feel that opens up international avenues for you?
− 00:08:29: You secured a summer job back in Miami. Can you talk about that, because you’re going to be doing artistic work but also some education [teaching at the Haitian Heritage Museum]?
− 00:09:13: You’re mostly self-taught, but you’ve been surrounded by an artistic environment your whole life. Does that influence the way you’ll be presenting material to the kids?
− 00:09:47: Do you plan on living and working in Miami and Port-au-Prince?
− 00:10:18: Tell me a bit about the area here. It seems like you don’t perhaps see the area like many others here [living in it]. Viktor El-Saieh 3
June 19, 2012
− 00:11:28: Like other Haitian artists, Haiti’s imagery is thematic for you.
− 00:11:50: Can you talk about your experience as a Palestinian-Israeli-Haitian.
− 00:12:54: What attracts you about Israel as an artist or a potential urban planner?
− 00:13:31: You don’t have any current plans for going back to school, but any other future goals in the next few years aside from school?
− 00:14:06: What’s the start date of the [El-Saieh] Gallery? Maybe you can give a brief overview of where you’re living, working, and painting.
− 00:14:51: And can you talk about how this room has made a transformation?
− 00:15:24: On the weekends, people come by and see it by appointment?
− 00:16:01: A lot of artists that you consider the finest have worked here. You have a lot of their work?
− 00:16:35: Who are some of the artists who have been here that you grew up around?
− 00:17:14: Can you describe the style of a couple of Cap-Haitien painters you have here?
− 00:18:01: I do appreciate you showing me around. I hope we can take a look around the gallery. Would you like to close with anything?
− 00:18:14: First painting.
− 00:18:32: First painting: What was their relationship like [the artist and his grandfather]?
− 00:18:53: Second painting.
− 00:19:24: Second painting: What about the painter’s work specifically are you interested in?
− 00:20:01: Second painting: Talk a little bit about the collection here. It’s massive. Describe this place to a viewer that is not here.
− 00:20:41: Montage of more paintings in the gallery.
− 00:21:11: END OF INTERVIEW
Object Description
Description
| Title | Interview Outline |
| Object ID | asm0085000022 |
| Digital ID | asm0085000022 |
| Full Text | Haitian Diaspora Oral History Collection Interview with Viktor El-Saieh Port-au-Prince, Haiti, June 19, 2012 Interview ASM0085000022 Interviewed by Kevin Mason Recorded by Kevin Mason Outline by Kevin Mason and Xavier Mercado Length: 21:11 minutes Interview with Viktor El-Saieh, a painter who works in both Miami and Port-au-Prince. He is the grandson of celebrated Haitian bandleader Issa El-Saieh, who amassed a large private collection of Haitian art. His family now runs the El-Saieh Gallery in Port-au-Prince, which has frequent visitors during weekends by appointment. Over the years, the gallery housed many well-known Haitian artists who worked and painted on the grounds. At the time of the interview, El-Saieh was the only artist painting there. In the interview, which takes place a year after his Historical Precedence opening in Miami, he discusses his current work and future plans. He also talks about the present state of the El-Saieh Gallery, as well the work he is doing on commission for a private collector. This interview forms part of the Haitian Diaspora Oral History Collection of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections. This oral history expresses the views, memories and opinions of the interviewee. It does not represent the viewpoints of the University of Miami, its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The University of Miami makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interview and expressly disclaims any liability therefor. Copyright to this interview lies with the University of Miami. It may not be reproduced, retransmitted, published, distributed, or broadcast without the permission of the University of Miami Libraries Special Collections. For information about obtaining copies or to request permission to publish any part of this interview, please contact Special Collections at asc@miami.edu. Viktor El-Saieh 2 June 19, 2012 INTERVIEW OUTLINE − 00:00:12: Introduction – Well it’s a pleasure to be here with Victor El-Saieh in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Please give us your name and a little information about you. It is Tuesday, June 19th, 2012, and we’re in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, recording Victor El-Saieh. − 00:01:03: We spoke in March of last year [in an earlier interview] at the opening of your show Historical Precedence. It’s been a year on since and you’ve experienced a change of scenery from Miami to Haiti. Can you give us a recap of what’s been going on in the past year? − 00:02:26: You’re still taking on leadership objects, but you’re also taking on more abstract stuff like the Charles Oscar piece. Can you talk a little bit about that? − 00:03:36: And you’re depicting it in a way where it’s not just the actual person. It’s someone else’s interpretation that had lampooned that figure. − 00:04:09: And Oscar was like that and he was portrayed with a big mouth… − 00:04:29: You’ve recently been commissioned for a couple of works. Can you talk about the subject matter that kind of deviates from the Haitian leadership? − 00:05:10: What is some of the thematic imagery from the new commissions? − 00:05:35: You’ve been working here in the [El-Saieh] Gallery. Talk about some of the other artists who have been here and worked historically. − 00:06:33: Kind of like an artistic konbit? − 00:07:00: You recently graduated from FIU. Have you been looking into other academic fields or artistic fields [for graduate school]? − 00:08:06: As an artist with an urban planning degree, you feel that opens up international avenues for you? − 00:08:29: You secured a summer job back in Miami. Can you talk about that, because you’re going to be doing artistic work but also some education [teaching at the Haitian Heritage Museum]? − 00:09:13: You’re mostly self-taught, but you’ve been surrounded by an artistic environment your whole life. Does that influence the way you’ll be presenting material to the kids? − 00:09:47: Do you plan on living and working in Miami and Port-au-Prince? − 00:10:18: Tell me a bit about the area here. It seems like you don’t perhaps see the area like many others here [living in it]. Viktor El-Saieh 3 June 19, 2012 − 00:11:28: Like other Haitian artists, Haiti’s imagery is thematic for you. − 00:11:50: Can you talk about your experience as a Palestinian-Israeli-Haitian. − 00:12:54: What attracts you about Israel as an artist or a potential urban planner? − 00:13:31: You don’t have any current plans for going back to school, but any other future goals in the next few years aside from school? − 00:14:06: What’s the start date of the [El-Saieh] Gallery? Maybe you can give a brief overview of where you’re living, working, and painting. − 00:14:51: And can you talk about how this room has made a transformation? − 00:15:24: On the weekends, people come by and see it by appointment? − 00:16:01: A lot of artists that you consider the finest have worked here. You have a lot of their work? − 00:16:35: Who are some of the artists who have been here that you grew up around? − 00:17:14: Can you describe the style of a couple of Cap-Haitien painters you have here? − 00:18:01: I do appreciate you showing me around. I hope we can take a look around the gallery. Would you like to close with anything? − 00:18:14: First painting. − 00:18:32: First painting: What was their relationship like [the artist and his grandfather]? − 00:18:53: Second painting. − 00:19:24: Second painting: What about the painter’s work specifically are you interested in? − 00:20:01: Second painting: Talk a little bit about the collection here. It’s massive. Describe this place to a viewer that is not here. − 00:20:41: Montage of more paintings in the gallery. − 00:21:11: END OF INTERVIEW |
| Type | Text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Archive | asm0085000022.pdf |
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