The Gallery of Everything

Born to a family of shipbuilders, Préfète Duffaut was perhaps the most transcendent of the first wave of Haitian art makers. It was a religious vision which instructed him to dedicate his life to the decoration of houses of worship. Yet his murals were atypical for the region and brought him to the attention of le Centre d’Art. Here, amongst other artists, he continued to explore spiritual and philosophical ideas and became known for his pencil-thin figures, imaginary constructions and off-centre symmetries.

Although best known for his floating landscapes and dream-state depictions of his hometown of Jacmel, it is Duffaut’s off-kilter early material which really shows his lateral abilities to their fullest.