This poster was created in response to a call for art in solidarity with the people of Haiti, in the context of recent unrest, instability, and threats of foreign intervention. I got the text from a photo I saw on the internet: a man protesting in Port au Prince holding a handmade sign with this written on it, in English. I combined that powerful phrase (which really sums up the entire history of Haiti’s struggles to be free in modern times) with an image of a carnival mask from the southern Haitian town of Jacmel, where I taught a screenprinting class a few years ago.
The call for art was put out by the People’s Forum NYC on behalf of the International People’s Assembly and produced a poster exhibit called REVERBERATIONS. You can view the complete set of posters and download them on the People’s Forum website.
“A wave and a reflection, REVERBERATIONS recognizes the impact that Haitian uprisings have made on the world, and the necessity of international solidarity to ring out in resonance. In this pivotal moment, artists across the world urgently call for sovereignty, dignity, and democracy in Haiti as they build solidarity with comrades on the ground fighting against foreign intervention. These over 30 artworks show us that our movements only get stronger when we build solidarity, make marks against imperialist violence, and envision a future for the people.”
REVERBERATIONS is a project of the People’s Assembly – North America.
A duo-toned red mask with horns and fanged mouth pops out from a black background. The pupils of the eyes are left white. The text reads in white: “We Need a Better Country Without the Help of America.”
