The Eyes of Haiti A Renaissance in Art	April 2 through June 13, 1999
Préfèt Duffaut, Haitian The Exodus, oil on canvas, 18 x 24" Lent by Lesly Gourdet First Friday Reception Friday, April 9, 5:30-7:30pm in the Museum Gallery Talk Sunday, June 6, 2pm in the Museum	The first discoveries of Haitian art, or the Haitian Renaissance, occurred in the 1940s. Numerous self-taught artists emerged at this time, producing vivid landscapes of Haiti's lush panoramas, imaginative biblical representations, as well as scenes from everyday Haitian life. The exhibition highlights the work of Haiti's main artistic phases and reflects the history of this culturally diverse nation. The journey through Haiti's young artistic tradition begins with the Saint Soleil works created by self-taught artists working in isolated areas. The primitive or traditional period is demonstrated by the colorful and highly inventive paintings of artists like Wilson Bigaud, Péfèt Duffaut and Wooly Abélard. The more recent pieces exemplify the modern and avant-garde influences of the Western European tradition. The Eyes of Haiti is organized by Lesly Gourdet, a native of Haiti and teacher of Spanish and French at Western Albemarle High School. The exhibition is supported in part by the University's Art$ Program.