Nacius Joseph (Haitian, b. 1939)

Nacius Joseph was born in 1939 in Petit-Goâve, Haiti. He lived and worked in Port-au-Prince for several years, guided by sculptor Gilbert Duperrier, though some observers felt his early work lacked originality and imagination. It was only after returning to his native town that Joseph found his voice and matured into a fine wood sculptor, as noted in Haitian Art by Ute Stebich, published by Abrams Editions for the Brooklyn Museum in 1978. Profoundly involved in Vodou, Joseph became the only Haitian wood sculptor of his time to draw his subject matter directly from his belief system, giving his work a rare authenticity and strength of conviction. Rather than depicting the austere spiritual grandeur of his religion, his complicated, elegant structures capture its poetic, lyrical side. He worked both in the round and in embossed relief. Explore his available works below.