Prospere Pierre-Louis

3 Loas, 1990 Acrylic on Canvas 20x24

Here is a painting I bought last week by the late Haitian artist Prosper Pierre-Louis.  He is considered a master and was a member of the renowned Saint Soleil art movement in Haiti. He was not formally educated and taught himself to play the violin and drums at a young age. As a young boy, he assisted in religious rituals with father who was a Vodou priest; Elements of that religious practice influence his work heavily. Although some characterize him in the the primitive arts,  Prosper Pierre-Louis' work is complex;  If that sounds like a oxymoron, it is and  I recommend  experiencing   this duality that makes his work  so unique and compelling. 

His paintings often depicting Vodou  loas or spirits often in vibrant colors. The paintings are mystical and free flowing and 2 dimensional. This specific painting just spoke to me and my experience has been that art is as much about how you feel as it is about how it looks. Every time I walk by it I pause and see something new.   This piece  depicts 3 free flowing Loas with arms outstretched forming a circle. I like the sense of continuity  and how the three Loas are connected ; There is no real sense of where the Loas (or painting for that matter) begins or ends.