Press Release

October 12, 2009, Germantown, Maryland. On October 23, 2009, visitors for the first time will have the pleasure of seeing an art show of Haitian and Dominican artists at the Embassy of Haiti in Washington DC.

The artists of Hispaniola, the island that Haiti and the Dominican Republic share, are coming together for a silent art auction fundraising event to benefit Art Creation Foundation for Children based in Jacmel, Haiti.

Titled symbolically, "Back to Back | Face to Face: The Art of Haiti and the Dominican Republic," this art event is a showcase of contemporary Caribbean art for a great cause--to help the children of Haiti through art.

Participating artists of Haitian and Dominican heritage are: Turgo Bastien from Florida; Nadine Lafond from New Jersey; Blondel Joseph from Haiti;  Iliana and Sherezade Garcia, from New York where both sisters live; Claes Gabriel from Pennsylvania; and local Maryland artists Christinne Maryse Colimon and Yvon Fleurival.   The beneficary of the event, Art Creation Foundation for Children (ACFC), is a 501C(3) non-profit arts organization registered in Florida that provides assistance in education and personal growth through art to children in need. The Center is located in the southern city of Jacmel, Haiti, which is a flourishing town full of art and crafts and is one of Haiti's major tourist destinations amongst Haitians and travelers alike.

Embassy personnel will be present to welcome guests at the show. Marcel Wah, the organizer of the event and President of Studio Wah Exhibitions, LLC, producer of the annual International Caribbean Art Fair (ICAFair) which is the only art fair that exclusively represents Caribbean Art, will open the artists presentations that is scheduled to begin at 7 pm. Turgo Bastien, one of the founders of ACFC, will talk about his art and the work that he does with the kids at the Center. Some of the papier mache that the children from the Center have created will also be on display and included in the silent art auction.

Please click here to view an invitation to the show, which will open on Friday, October 23, 2009 with an Opening Reception from 6 to 9 pm. The exhibit will last until November 6, 2009, and is open to the public. This is a Free event and no reservations are required to attend.