Please help us help Gabriel Bien-Aimé rebuild his workshop in Haiti and show his work next year.

Last Fall I hosted Koupe Fè, an online exhibition celebrating the fifty year career of the Haitian steel-drum sculptor Gabriel Bien-Aimé. Gabriel is the most creative and original Haitian sculptor of his generation. He had just completed a very successful appearance at the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe, the world's leading event of its kind. The Folk Art Market had resumed after a pandemic hiatus, and Gabriel was appearing for his first public exhibition in many years.

Bien-Aimé was admitted to the 2022 Market and expected to return to Haiti to commence work last Fall. Unfortunately the conditions at home in Haiti were such that it was too dangerous to return. Since the assassination of their president last year, Haiti has suffered an earthquake, a hurricane, and gang violence and kidnapping which has terrorized the country. Gabriel's village of Croix des Bouquets has been at the epicenter of the violence, fought over by three notorious gangs. 

Bien-Aimé spent the last year supporting himself in service jobs in the United States while he waited for peace to return to his country. He was unable to create new work and had to miss the 2022 market. He is determined to return to Haiti, set up a new workshop in a safer area, and bring his work to next year's market.

This is where you come in, Folks! I ask you to consider purchasing some of Gabriel's work, which will allow him to return to Haiti, set up his workshop, buy materials and make new work to support his family. Indigo Arts Gallery is making this appeal in cooperation with Galerie Bonheur. We encourage you to pay full price for his work, but will consider fair offers.

Bien-Aimé’s work has been exhibited internationally, notably in the groundbreaking 1989 show at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Magiciens de la Terre. His works are in the permanent collections of the Centre Pompidou, the Musée du Quai Branly, the Musée National d’Art Moderne de Paris, the Waterloo Museum, the Figge Art Museum, the Milwaukee Art Museum, The Ramapo College Gallery, Le Centre d’Art, and the Musée d’Art Haïtien du Collège Saint-Pierre. 

Now it can be in your permanent collection too!

Thank you for your consideration of this appeal, and your patronage over many years.