The Consulate of the Republic of Haiti in Orlando invites the Haitian community and the public in general to the art exhibition "Keeping Haiti in our Hearts: Interpreting Heritage in the Diaspora" from Friday September 14, 2012. The exhibit features 62 paintings, sculptures and mixed media from Haitian and Haitian-American artists, but also photography, sculptures, and mixed media ranging from traditional and memory-evoking to contemporary with expressions of change.

The Consulate, in partnership with Crealdé School of Art, and with the support of the Greater Haitian American Chamber of Commerce is a proud sponsor of this special event that will feature one of our own Artist and Performer, Mr. Jean Michel Daudier. Last week a Haitian "Tap Tap" bus, commonly used for public transportation in Haiti was painted by the community, it will be part of the exhibit.

The event, free to public, will take place in two stages:

• Music from Island Groove and traditional Haitian cuisine, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at the Alice & William Jenkins Gallery at Crealdé School of Art located at 600 St. Andrews Blvd. Winter Park Florida, 32792

• From 8:30 to 10:30 PM at the Hannibal Square Heritage Center located at 642 W. New England Avenue, Winter Park, Florida 32789. Many of the internationally-known Haitian artists whose work is featured in the exhibit will be attending the opening reception.

This Art Exhibit will remain open to the public from September 14 to December 29,2012.

A Community Forum will be hosted from 4 to 6 p.m., Saturday, September 29 at the Community Gallery at Crealdé School of Art. The forum will engage Haitians, Haitian-Americans and the community in conversation about what it means to be Haitian and the themes of hope, love, despair, and change in Haitian culture.

Keeping Haiti In Our Hearts includes the work of internationally known, contemporary Haitian artists including Edouard Duval Carrie, Frantz Charlemagne, Jude Papaloko Thegenius, and Jerome Soimaud. The exhibit’s traditional art, including sequin flags and folk paintings, include the work of L’Overture Poisson, Jerome Polycarpe, and Nesly-Exumé from the University of Central Florida’s Bryant West Indies Collection and the collection of Butler H. Smith, Jr. and Betty Ford-Smith in Sebring, Florida.

HL/ HaitiLibre