Interview with Ernst Louizor

HaitianPainting.com: What does being an artist mean to you?

Ernst Louizor: I take great pride in being an artist. Being an artist gives me the opportunity to share my dreams, my hopes and aspirations on canvas.

HaitianPainting.com: What sets you apart from all other artist?

Ernst Louizor: The ability to dream the impossible and be flexible at the same time. As an artist the ability to dream is critical and paramount to be able to achieve any kind of success. If you live your life out of memory, you live out your history. If you live out of your imagination, you live out of your potential.

HaitianPainting.com: Most of your paintings focus on Haitian daily life. Can you explain why you chose such themes for your art? ?

Ernst Louizor: Yes, some artists get their inspirations from the environment and where they live. My style have formed from what attracts me to my surroundings; and my natural way of being has a lot to do with the Haitian way of life.

HaitianPainting.com: Who is your biggest artistic influence and inspiration?

Ernst Louizor: Lots of painters influence my approach. The main ones are the late Haitian master Petion Savain, the legendary Haitian artist Wilimono Domond and Nehemy Jean.

HaitianPainting.com: Is there a subliminal message in your artwork?

Ernst Louizor: As an artist I have the responsibility and the burden of preaching to the world. I choose to paint situationals, daily life, Rara, Marine and many other faces and figures as my subject matter to display the pain and the joy of life in Haiti.

HaitianPainting.com: Do you paint from imagination?

Ernst Louizor: I usually use quick sketches. Most of the time, I draw from inspiration from what I see around me. Most of my works are from memory and are characterized by a strong rhythm heightened by the opposition of colors which produces certain movement.

HaitianPainting.com: What role do you think color plays in your work?

Ernst Louizor: Color is the most subtle and expressive element in my paintings. The use of unmixed primary colors and small strokes to simulate actual reflected light is the key element behind most of my paintings.

HaitianPainting.com: Tell us about the artwork you're currently working on.

Ernst Louizor: I am currently working on a Rara painting for a very important art collector. The Rara is a form of festival music used for street processions, typically during Easter Week. Performances generally begin on Ash Wednesday and culminate at Easter Weekend. Rara lyrics also often address difficult issues, such as political oppression or poverty in Haiti.