January 12th, 2021. The Remembrance Continues.

The world can be a frightening place, especially in our current circumstances. Comfort,  camaraderie, and confidence can seem in short order.  However, communities and Art can bring these things together and amplify them.  This year, with all the social injustice, divisiveness, and most of all, the Coronavirus pandemic that is destroying and ravaging us, Ayitistik believes that we can and will overcome as a community if we do the right thing:
remain strong, protect and respect our brothers and sisters.

Ayitistik grievously suffered a loss in 2020. Our beloved brother and fellow artist Jean Richard Coachy left this world and embarked on a different Journey.  We know for certain that he will rest in peace, and the good Lord will continue to be by his side guiding him.  Our brother Coachy will always continue to be a member of AYITISTIK, where he was one of the founding members and contributed to where we are today.

With all the challenges that we are facing this year, It is hard to put the earthquake that took our country Haiti by surprise on January 12, 2010 at the forefront.  However, we want to make sure that it has not taken a back seat to all the current turmoil in the world and in Haiti. We will never forget that early afternoon when that horrific disaster occurred and changed the lives of all our brothers and sisters.  AYITISTIK is curating this online exhibit “HAITI: 01-12-2010 WE REMEMBER” as a remembrance of our brothers and sisters who perished on that day.  The exhibit can be viewed on this website.

It is unfortunate that we cannot come together in person this year. Usually, we would be viewing the artworks, socializing, and most of all, reminding the world of what happened, what needs to be done, and to continue to figure out what can be done to prevent such a disaster from occurring at such a magnitude in the future.  Also, how can the infrastructure of the country be better improved, monitored and procedure be put in place to enforce the building codes.  With regards to Contingency Planning and Preparedness, have we put in place emergency preparedness plans on a regional and national level?  It appears that there are more questions than answers! As we continue to move forward, we are reminded that children and the elderlies, were among the most vulnerable group affected by the disaster.  We asked ourselves today, what is being done for them?  What does the future hold?

The Artists within AYITISTIK, are extremely passionate of their country; and our job is to do everything that we can through our artwork to keep the community strong and our culture alive.  Let us put our great minds together, our differences aside and let us rebuild our homeland HAITI and put it on an incredibly positive path for the future and for our children.

An upward of 70 paintings will be showcased representing the Artists from AYITISTIK:

Jean P Blaise, Mona Coichy Haigler, Jerry M C Georges, Joseph Thony Moise, 
Jean Claude Dominique, Jean Richard Coachy, Marc A. Gaston, Francisco Gervais
      
      This year, the Exhibition will be hosted online at AYITISTIK’s website: www.ayitistik.com  
      Opening online: January 12, 2021 at 7:00pm.  The show will be on view through January 31, 2021