Your work pulls a lot from Haitian culture and cultures from the past, how has that reflected in your work as you evolve as an artist?
The last year I have been really focused the carrying of traditions. Particularly with Haiti through the slave trade. Haiti, out of all the West Indian countries, have held on to a lot of traditions. Coming from the western coast of Africa they have deeply rooted cultural and religious traditions that have stayed true. They had a revolution that changed the platform powered by the rebellious nature in them to hold on to traditions. Seeing that and hearing about the erasure of culture and its effect particularly in Haiti, I have been thinking about it a lot more recently while making work.
Do you see similarities with this effect of cultural upheaval in NYC as well?
Yeah, I see the similarities of ripping out old communities. Kind of the way things go these days, modernization.
You have a new solo show coming up soon next year?
Yeah with a gallery in Miami called Jupiter Contemporary. I've been working on bronze sculptures, they are really honest to my style with figurative abstract figures. I'm still working on exactly what the show concept will be but I do know I'm trying to push myself into the abstract realm. I feel like I've been trapped up in the figurative realm the past few year. I think it has been a very popular concept, particularly minority figurative, but I feel like I got lost, influenced into it a way, but I'm trying to get back to my roots which is more abstraction.