THE NEW REVOLUTION

Size: 60"x 48"
Date: 2017
Medium: oil painting on canvas

DESCRIPTION

Francois Capois was indeed one of the heroes of the history of Haitian independence. History has told us that this man was of indisputable bravery. His weapon was guided by his strength of conviction to change things, change the condition of his fellows. But what conditions? Two primary conditions were slavery enforced by the French in Haiti for a long time and the system of oppression legitimized by the famous black code. The black code was that document that treated black people as objects, legalized torture, and even advised some specified methods of torture. Haitian men and women of African descent have suffered enormously; a suffering that was so great that it called for revolt and insurrection. The breath of freedom and revolt that emanates from this painting, tries, with the colors, to speak to the dedication that these men and women had put into this fight. A fight, indeed, was the business of daily life and, still, the fight continues because--if the oppressor has changed--the oppression remains.

In this work the horse, ridden by Capois, tramples the black code while a very diverse crowd accompanies him. They're armed with books and musical instruments instead of weapons of war because ignorance and the spirit of division are the new enemies this society must face. A people, a community, that ignores itself cannot move forward. The past is a story that blows in our ears the wind of revolution--but change begins with knowledge of the past and present. That is THE NEW REVOLUTION.

Using Format