Haitian Artist's Priceless Paintings Lost in Quake
Artwork displayed in Miami becomes victim of natural disaster
etrafineart.com
A painting by artist Mario Benjamin, from Haiti.
They're dynamic, powerful and expressive works of art now on display at Etra Fine Art Gallery in Miami's design district, but there could be more of them.
The man behind the works is Haitian contemporary artist Mario Benjamin.
"I'm happy with my work when it becomes something that I didn't anticipate," Benjamin said yesterday, in a phone interview from Haiti.
Something Benjamin didn't anticipate was almost 25 years of his paintings destroyed in an instant when a catastrophic earthquake hit his homeland in January.
Etra owner Stefano Campanini had just sent nine of Benjamin's paintings to Haiti for an exhibition when the unthinkable happened.
"Three weeks before the earthquake and they got destroyed," Campanini said. "You really touch, you know, right in the center of the wound."
A major setback for Benjamin, who knows what's most important in his life: family.
"Everyone's alive it is just sad," Benjamin said.
It's ironic that most of Benjamin's images speak to the suffering found in his country. In his self portrait, he portrays an inner conflict with both his identity as a black man and his cultural background.
"Because most of my paintings are very pessimistic," he said.
Bonnie Clearwater, executive director and chief curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art, showcased his artwork and was captivated by his installations.
"I think it is ironic that the work that he created for the Museum of Contemporary Art was meant to be dismantled and ephemeral and it's the work that is his paintings, the portraits that he does that have been destroyed," Clearwater said.
Although many pieces of his priceless works of art were destroyed in Haiti, Benjamin is preparing for an outpouring of new expression more dynamic, more impressive than ever before.
"His own language after this earthquake is going to be so incredible, even more unique than what he did before," said Campanini. "It's going to be compelling."
Benjamin's paintings are on sale now, with most of the proceeds going towards relief efforts in Haiti. For more info go to www.etrafineart.com.
Posted Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 - 10:07 AM EST
