DC Museumgoer

On my one and only trip to Haiti, for a work-related conference in 2002, I visited an artisans’ collective on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. I’d never much considered Haitian art before, but I could see immediately that it carried a unique spirit, that its colors, narrative and voodoo influence made it instantly recognizable.

I ended up buying a tap-tap mobile for my niece and a pierced tin lantern, in the shape of a star, for my mom. They are among the most unique gifts I’ve picked up in my travels, and I’ve held an interest in Haitian artists, one of whom famously made the cover of the New Yorker last winter, since.

Now, in the wake of the devastating January 12 earthquake, Haitian children are finding solace in their country’s artistic traditions, showcased in The Healing Power of Art, an exhibition sponsored by the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, on view at the S. Dillon Ripley Center.

The quake hit kids particularly hard: 4,000 children died when their schools collapsed, and 1.2 million were forced out of school due to the damage. The children’s paintings and drawings featured in the exhibit chronicle the disaster’s progression: first, scenes of chaos; second, scenes of ships and helicopters delivering aid; and last, brightly colored homes and schools as they once were–whole and happy–or as they might be again.

I found the exhibit a sad reminder of Haiti’s long history of struggle and how quickly the world forgets. It’s only been six months, and the recovery is just beginning.

But I was heartened to see that same undeniable Haitian spirit, and that some of the kids, at least, see a brighter path ahead.

I also noticed the preponderance of Haitian flags . Maybe the art teachers prompted this, or maybe the kids were grasping for inspiration, looking to the slogan so prominently draped there:

L’Union Fait la Force. Strength through unity.

The world’s hope for Haiti.

The Healing Power of Art runs through October 17, 2010.