Myrlande Constant: The Work of Radiance
March 26–July 16, 2023
The Work of Radiance is a retrospective of the groundbreaking 30-year career of Myrlande Constant, and the first solo U.S. museum exhibition devoted to the work of a Haitian female contemporary artist. The presentation and its accompanying publication trace the evolution of Constant’s artistic vision, innovative techniques, and impact on art-making in Haiti and beyond; and situate her hand-beaded textiles within contemporary arts of Haiti and the African diaspora.
Constant’s painstakingly beaded tapestries build on the drapo Vodou tradition and depict Haitians, Catholic saints, and Vodou spirits in both intimate and monumental scenes of Haitian history and everyday life. The exhibition is accompanied by a fully-illustrated monograph featuring essays by curators, artists, and cultural figures.
Credits
Myrlande Constant: The Work of Radiance is organized by the Fowler Museum at UCLA and curated by Katherine Smith, Fowler curatorial and research associate of Haitian arts, and Jerry Philogene, associate professor of American Studies at Dickinson College, PA.
To date, major support is provided by the Martha and Avrum Bluming Exhibition Fund and in part an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Generous support is also provided by the Marla C. Berns Exhibition Endowment, Donald B. Cordry Memorial Fund, Clough/Hillenburg Fund, and Pasadena Art Alliance, with additional funding from the Fowler Contemporary Council, Fowler Textile Council, Fay Bettye Green Fund, Raquel and Bertram Lewitt, Connie McCreight, Robin and Gary Ungar, Charlotte Chamberlain and Paul Wieselmann, and Tomm El-Saieh.
Lead support for the publication is provided by the R. L. Shep Endowment Fund at the Fowler Museum and the Donald B. Cordry Memorial Fund, with additional funding from Furthermore: a program of the J.M. Kaplan Fund, and Fort Gansevoort Gallery.
Education programs are made possible in part by The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation and Nissan Foundation.