Who We Art

The front cover of Who We Art.

We are excited to share with our friends, colleagues and the public the official release of the beautiful volume “WHO WE ART: 30 years of Haitian art in New England”, a visual arts anthology project produced by the Haitian Artists Assembly of Massachusetts (HAAM), published by Trilingual Press, and edited by Charlot Lucien, HAAM’s Director.

Introductory remarks are contributed by art historian Carlo Avierl Célius (CNRS-IMAF, Paris), and literary critic and historian, Prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr., of Harvard University.

Welcoming remarks are also offered by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune, City of Boston’s Interim Chief of Arts & Culture, Kenny Mascary, visual artist Paul Goodnight, and the Director of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Pierre Terjanian.

At this juncture when both countries—Haiti and United States—are living under the most unprecedented and perilous political circumstances, the clichés of Haiti as “the poorest and most violent country in the Western Hemisphere” are reinforced by images of armed thugs spreading terror and destruction in their neighborhoods. In a world where the idea of beauty is often devalued, reduced to its pecuniary profitability, it is quite remarkable that the artists of the Haitian Artists Assembly of Massachusetts (HAAM) chose to publish their second collection of paintings to celebrate their homeland, its aspirations, their dreams of a better world, and generate new narratives.

The completion of this three-year long project crowns the 30th anniversary of HAAM, intending to start conversations about art, being, migration, culture, and reaffirmation of identity. This anthology of paintings and texts features over 40 artists living in the New England area (Massachusetts, New-Hampshire, Rhode Island), and pays tribute to HAAM luminaries and mentors who passed away in 2025: Danielle Legros Georges, Michel Philippe Lerebours and Frankétienne.

The official launch took place at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston on Feb 8, 2026.

Special thanks to our research, data collection, and organizing team: Evangéline Roussel Lucien, Régine Milord Mendes, Myrlène “Mimi” Legendre Désir, Robenson Sanon, and Fritz Ducheine for their patience and painstaking efforts.

Special thanks to our chief photographer and graphic designer Yves Rigaud (Nice Image Photography), and to Chrispin Dragon (Côte Plage Photography) and Alex Terry (AFLeuriste Photography);

To our editing and copyediting team: Stephanie Scherpf, Jill Netchinsky Toussaint, Joseph M. Chéry, Eddy Toussaint, Steve Desrosiers, Vladimir Hyppolite, and Kellyn B. Eaddy;

To our curatorial team: Joseph Chery, and Myrlène “Mimi” Legendre Désir. We remain grateful for the contributions of our past curators: Edmund Barry Gaither, Arnie Danielson, Michelle Alfred, Anne Anninger, and Jaamal Eversley for having, over the years, helped HAAM generate criteria and identify artworks and themes suitable for this book.

Acknowledgment to the Barr Foundation for its support, to the Toussaint Louverture Cultural Center, Brockton Arts, Boston City Hall Galleries for hosting HAAM’s artworks, and to all the collaborators who contributed to this effort.

Notable quotes from the prefaces

“This anthology is an exploration of the deep connections between Haiti and Massachusetts—Louverture, DuBois, and Douglass to cite a few. This anthology will help to revive the shared cultural heritage between the world’s first Black Republic and the long defense of democracy that is a fundamental aspect of New England history and culture.”

—Henry Louis Gates Jr., literary critic and historian, of Harvard University

« L’espace haïtien ne se limite plus aux frontières terrestres d’un tiers d’île, en raison de l’ampleur quantitative prise par sa dyaspora. (...) Le cadre dans lequel cheminent ces artistes, entre contraintes et espaces des possibles, entre opportunités et blocages, entre marginalité et ancrages institutionnels, constitue une donnée fondamentale. Est aussi déterminante la nature des relations qu’ils et elles entretiennent avec leur pays d’origine. »

—Carlo A. Célius historien et historien de l’art, directeur de recherche au Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)

“On behalf of the City of Boston, I am proud—and grateful for—the incredible art preserved in this anthology. I want to thank the Haitian Artists Assembly of Massachusetts for 30 years of incredible art. Since their founding, HAAM has worked tirelessly to celebrate and center Haitian artists.”

—Michelle Wu Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts

“Over the last three decades, [HAAM] has become a vital cultural force in Boston and across New England, broadening the narratives about Haiti’s history, resilience, and identity. From descriptions of landscapes, to bold works that address racism, policy, social justice, HAAM artists continue to challenge us to see Haiti beyond stereotypes and headlines.”

—Ruthzee Louijeune City Councilor, Boston, Massachusetts

“Congratulations to the incredible artists featured in WHO WE ART: Haitian Art in New England. Your creativity, vision, and cultural storytelling continue to enrich our city and inspire generations—both here in New England and across the Haitian diaspora. It’s been a privilege to support HAAM’s work.”

—Kenny Mascary Interim Chief of Arts & Culture, City of Boston, Massachusetts

“Haiti changed my vision of what art is and what it can do. I lived in Haiti for a year in the early eighties. I learned a different process, a different color scheme, and a different culture than what I was used to. (...) I learned about who I was in this world and how I had to adapt.”

—Paul Goodnight famed visual artist, Boston, MA

“This anthology celebrates the culture, creativity, and spirit of the vibrant Haitian community in New England by highlighting the many achievements of its most prominent artists. (...) On behalf of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, I wish to congratulate the artists represented in this publication.”

—Pierre Terjanian Director of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Purchase WE WHO ART

The book is available for purchase at Brockton Art, Inc, via this link:

https://checkout.square.site/.../HA6ERZO6CJJC6DWQCI3G3STA...

For information about future book signing opportunities, write to: trilingualpress@tanbou.com

Or visit HAAM’s Facebook page: Haitian Artists Assembly of Massachusetts Group | Facebook