20/07/2018 Bárbara Gual
Marie Denise Douyon, Haitian, currently living in Montreal, Canada, began her artistic work in 1986. The visual artist makes paintings, drawings, illustrations and also uses mixed techniques. Douyon’s works have already been shown in many cities, including Montreal, Vancouver, Port-au-Prince, Washington and Paris. Her work was also exhibited at the Bardo National Museum in Tunis, Tunisia, in a group of Canadian and Tunisian artists.
Marie creates in order to express herself, making art something that is part of her daily life; she likes to work with topics involving the environment, politics and society. Douyon expresses her concern about our culture of excessive consumption using materials found and discarded in her work. Marie connects her art with issues related to climate change, ecological and social issues that are now the inevitable questioning of this century.
The artist uses recycling objects, such as cans, bottle caps, computer and bicycle parts, exploring aesthetic concepts to represent hope and regeneration. Among her inspirations are Jean-Michel Basquiat, Pablo Picasso, Klee, Modigliani, as well as more recent inspirations like the imaginary cities of Préfète Duffaut, the Friedensreich Hundertwasser buildings and the Japanese engravings.
Below you can read her statement:
“I am originally from Haiti, but I consider myself to be a Citizen of the world. I grew up in North Africa, studied in New York and Washington and now lives in Montreal. With a fine arts degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology of New York, I returned to Haiti in the 1980s, then emigrated to Canada as a political refugee in 1991.
Like a child, my first creative impulse was above all playful and selfish; I was creating to have fun and to
play! Later on, as a political refugee, art occupied a therapeutic space; I was creating to heal myself! And today, at the age of maturity, my work is turned towards reflecting on social issues, current facts, human conditions and spirituality. Art becomes a tool and a mean to express, to share, to bring hope and sometime to denounce.
My artwork is influenced by three cultures, my country of origin Haiti, the country of my childhood Morocco and my adopted land Quebec. Three recurring themes are at the center of my artistic approach: recycling to create art, the quest for light and humanistic reflection, a more spiritual approach and my travels. Three themes that tickle my creativity touch and push me to create to denounce, to revolt, to wonder and to marvel.”
The artist creates this promising solution by using, in a creative way, thoughts about recycling and waste disposal. Marie seeks in her works to draw attention to the commitment to economic, environmental and social justice. Contemplating a piece made by Douyon is to become more aware of the mix of African and Creole cultures in the context of contemporary art. The artist draws inspired in the different places and people she encountered, who cultivate tolerance, who embrace social causes.
For knowing more about her work follow us in VHMOR and check MDDouyon.
