OUR COLLECTION — LATIN AMERICA — HAITI 422. PAINTED STEEL HOLY FAMILY
This Nativity is made from a recycled steel oil drum that has been painted. The scene depicts Mary and Joseph watching over baby Jesus in a stable. The family is joined by a long-horn sheep, a goat, a bird, and two flying angels. The piece is signed by the artist, Jean-David Remy; he chiseled his name below baby Jesus. Jean-David has been a metalcraft artist for over 20 years. His art sales are the means by which he provides for his wife and children in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti. This large Nativity measures 25.5 inches tall by 17 inches wide.
Resourceful artisans in the village of Croix-des-Bouquets, located 8 miles to the northeast of Haiti’s capital, use recycled 55-gallon oil drums to make their traditional art. They cut out the top and bottom, and flatten the sides using their hands and feet. They clean the drums and any remaining oil residue is burned off. After flattening the drum, the artisan sketches a design on the metal and cuts intricate designs with only a hammer and chisel, using nearly the entire oil drum. After the edges are sanded smooth, the artisan applies varnish to keep the metal from rusting and dries it in the sun. Because Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world (the poorest in the Western Hemisphere), continuing orders for handicrafts are very important for artisans to provide basic needs for their families.
Resourceful artisans in the village of Croix-des-Bouquets, located 8 miles to the northeast of Haiti’s capital, use recycled 55-gallon oil drums to make their traditional art. They cut out the top and bottom, and flatten the sides using their hands and feet. They clean the drums and any remaining oil residue is burned off. After flattening the drum, the artisan sketches a design on the metal and cuts intricate designs with only a hammer and chisel, using nearly the entire oil drum. After the edges are sanded smooth, the artisan applies varnish to keep the metal from rusting and dries it in the sun. Because Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world (the poorest in the Western Hemisphere), continuing orders for handicrafts are very important for artisans to provide basic needs for their families.