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Haitian Diaspora Oral History Collection
Interview with Viktor El-Saieh
Miami, Florida, March 12, 2011
Interview ASM0085000013
Interviewed by Kevin Mason
Recorded by Kevin Mason
Outline by Kevin Mason and Xavier Mercado
Length: 14:00 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. The interview takes place before the opening of his show, Historical Precedence, at the Tomm El-Saieh Gallery in Miami. The show depicts Haitian leadership through a series of portraits and gives El-Saieh’s insights on Haitian projections of their own historical governance. His work takes on projections of historical figures from Toussaint L’ouverture to recent president, Michel Martelly. El-Saieh discusses his work in Miami and how he has been influenced by his home country of Haiti.
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
March 12, 2011
INTERVIEW OUTLINE
− 00:00:12: Tonight is the opening of Historical Precedence at the Tomm El-Saieh Gallery. What kind of community do you think will be represented here tonight at the opening?
− 00:00:38: [Describe your style as a “Haitian-American artist,” with unique roots in Port-Au-Prince and living in the capital of the Haitian Diaspora. What cultural influences have the two places specifically had on your work?]
− 00:01:05: You’ve been influenced by Haitian artists Seymour Bottex and Andre Normil, who are known for their rural imagery and objective nationalistic pieces and considered to be “primitive masters” of Haitian art. Bottex’s Passionerie (Fishmonger) depicts a fish market with a pair of Blue-and-Red Haitian flags as cultural objects. In your work, you use a different kind of cultural object as symbols, and that’s the Western idea of presidents as an objective nationalist symbol. Do you think those carry more weight than traditional folk imagery? How are they used in your art?
− 00:02:10: Those artists have both exhibited at your grandfather’s gallery, the Issa El-Saieh Gallery in Port-au-Prince. What impact did the work of that gallery have on you and the artistic community in Port-au-Prince?
− 00:02:57: Your brother runs a gallery here, the Tomm El-Saieh Gallery, much like your grandfather, Issa El-Saieh, in Port-au-Prince. Give me the landscape, even just an image of the streets, even the gallery, and perhaps even the artistic community surrounding the gallery.
− 00:03:49: That gallery is still around. It withstood the earthquake of last January. Does that make it somewhat of a “cultural center” in Port-au-Prince?
− 00:04:32: There seems to be an element of lament in your work and outrage at the overall leadership through the vantage point of the Western figurehead of the president. I’m going to quote from your PR docket: “Born into terror, it can do little more than return to that state which it finds most comforting … For some unfortunate reason few have held the moral fiber necessary for effective leadership and for those who were close, death was closer.” What do you consider to be the origin of this “terror”?
− 00:05:39: How does your work offer a critique specifically by focusing on your portrayal of leadership? For instance, Duvalier, right there, is washed in a purple…and then you have over here the new President “Sweet Micky” Michel Martelly. How is your portrayal of them? Is it a critique, is it flattery?
− 00:06:11: Why do you think leaders with such great potential continue the legacy of corruption, and what Robert Fattone, Jr. calls “Haiti’s predatory system of democracy?”
− 00:06:56: It seems like Haiti keeps re-emerging out of post-dictatorship transitions into democracy. What do you hope for in this current election, which Michel Martelly seems to be the victor of? Viktor El-Saieh 3
March 12, 2011
− 00:07:52: You certainly think that leadership will be a very crucial key to the reconstruction efforts. What do you think that the role of the arts will play in reconstruction?
− 00:08:27: Do you think it will be a re-emergence of Haitian cultural symbols in the arts, going back to Jean Price-Mars’ So Spoke the Uncle, which called for a revival. Even the Vodou culture as part of the cultural landscape, not specifically religious. Do you think it will go back to folk imagery, or do you think that other artists will focus on the leadership as well?
− 00:09:23: You’ve thrown your hat into the ring of reviving cultural arts. Talk a little bit about the organization you have in the city of Jacmel.
− 00:10:04: When there is Haitian art advertised sometimes in Miami (they advertise it at the Haitian Cultural Institute, for instance), it is specifically traditional Haitian folk art. How do you think showing in a different gallery, in a different part of town, and certainly different work, how does that fit in to the Haitian narrative here in Miami?
− 00:11:04: The last time we spoke, your brother mentioned that Haitians, because of the Creole mixture, can be artists of different types. Your grandfather was a band leader and he ran an art gallery, the poet, playwright, and artist Cito Cave, as well. Do you have any other artistic outlets, or perhaps a political leadership role, as well?
− 00:11:52: Ideally, what would the environmental group accomplish for a relationship between Miami and Haiti?
− 00:12:18: Your family offered a unique narrative in Haiti and Port-au-Prince. Your grandfather was born in Bethlehem. That is an alternate story but it is also a unique story in the Diaspora, as well as the Tenth District. How do people normally perceive you as a Haitian artist because you don’t really fit the traditional mold of a Haitian artist?
− 00:13:24: Montage of gallery.
− 00:14:00: END OF INTERVIEW
Object Description
Description
| Title | Interview Outline |
| Object ID | asm0085000013 |
| Digital ID | asm0085000013 |
| Full Text | Haitian Diaspora Oral History Collection Interview with Viktor El-Saieh Miami, Florida, March 12, 2011 Interview ASM0085000013 Interviewed by Kevin Mason Recorded by Kevin Mason Outline by Kevin Mason and Xavier Mercado Length: 14:00 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. The interview takes place before the opening of his show, Historical Precedence, at the Tomm El-Saieh Gallery in Miami. The show depicts Haitian leadership through a series of portraits and gives El-Saieh’s insights on Haitian projections of their own historical governance. His work takes on projections of historical figures from Toussaint L’ouverture to recent president, Michel Martelly. El-Saieh discusses his work in Miami and how he has been influenced by his home country of Haiti. 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 March 12, 2011 INTERVIEW OUTLINE − 00:00:12: Tonight is the opening of Historical Precedence at the Tomm El-Saieh Gallery. What kind of community do you think will be represented here tonight at the opening? − 00:00:38: [Describe your style as a “Haitian-American artist,” with unique roots in Port-Au-Prince and living in the capital of the Haitian Diaspora. What cultural influences have the two places specifically had on your work?] − 00:01:05: You’ve been influenced by Haitian artists Seymour Bottex and Andre Normil, who are known for their rural imagery and objective nationalistic pieces and considered to be “primitive masters” of Haitian art. Bottex’s Passionerie (Fishmonger) depicts a fish market with a pair of Blue-and-Red Haitian flags as cultural objects. In your work, you use a different kind of cultural object as symbols, and that’s the Western idea of presidents as an objective nationalist symbol. Do you think those carry more weight than traditional folk imagery? How are they used in your art? − 00:02:10: Those artists have both exhibited at your grandfather’s gallery, the Issa El-Saieh Gallery in Port-au-Prince. What impact did the work of that gallery have on you and the artistic community in Port-au-Prince? − 00:02:57: Your brother runs a gallery here, the Tomm El-Saieh Gallery, much like your grandfather, Issa El-Saieh, in Port-au-Prince. Give me the landscape, even just an image of the streets, even the gallery, and perhaps even the artistic community surrounding the gallery. − 00:03:49: That gallery is still around. It withstood the earthquake of last January. Does that make it somewhat of a “cultural center” in Port-au-Prince? − 00:04:32: There seems to be an element of lament in your work and outrage at the overall leadership through the vantage point of the Western figurehead of the president. I’m going to quote from your PR docket: “Born into terror, it can do little more than return to that state which it finds most comforting … For some unfortunate reason few have held the moral fiber necessary for effective leadership and for those who were close, death was closer.” What do you consider to be the origin of this “terror”? − 00:05:39: How does your work offer a critique specifically by focusing on your portrayal of leadership? For instance, Duvalier, right there, is washed in a purple…and then you have over here the new President “Sweet Micky” Michel Martelly. How is your portrayal of them? Is it a critique, is it flattery? − 00:06:11: Why do you think leaders with such great potential continue the legacy of corruption, and what Robert Fattone, Jr. calls “Haiti’s predatory system of democracy?” − 00:06:56: It seems like Haiti keeps re-emerging out of post-dictatorship transitions into democracy. What do you hope for in this current election, which Michel Martelly seems to be the victor of? Viktor El-Saieh 3 March 12, 2011 − 00:07:52: You certainly think that leadership will be a very crucial key to the reconstruction efforts. What do you think that the role of the arts will play in reconstruction? − 00:08:27: Do you think it will be a re-emergence of Haitian cultural symbols in the arts, going back to Jean Price-Mars’ So Spoke the Uncle, which called for a revival. Even the Vodou culture as part of the cultural landscape, not specifically religious. Do you think it will go back to folk imagery, or do you think that other artists will focus on the leadership as well? − 00:09:23: You’ve thrown your hat into the ring of reviving cultural arts. Talk a little bit about the organization you have in the city of Jacmel. − 00:10:04: When there is Haitian art advertised sometimes in Miami (they advertise it at the Haitian Cultural Institute, for instance), it is specifically traditional Haitian folk art. How do you think showing in a different gallery, in a different part of town, and certainly different work, how does that fit in to the Haitian narrative here in Miami? − 00:11:04: The last time we spoke, your brother mentioned that Haitians, because of the Creole mixture, can be artists of different types. Your grandfather was a band leader and he ran an art gallery, the poet, playwright, and artist Cito Cave, as well. Do you have any other artistic outlets, or perhaps a political leadership role, as well? − 00:11:52: Ideally, what would the environmental group accomplish for a relationship between Miami and Haiti? − 00:12:18: Your family offered a unique narrative in Haiti and Port-au-Prince. Your grandfather was born in Bethlehem. That is an alternate story but it is also a unique story in the Diaspora, as well as the Tenth District. How do people normally perceive you as a Haitian artist because you don’t really fit the traditional mold of a Haitian artist? − 00:13:24: Montage of gallery. − 00:14:00: END OF INTERVIEW |
| Type | Text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Archive | asm0085000013.pdf |
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