Jorelus Joseph (Haitian, 1947-2009)

Jorélus (1947–2009) was a self-taught Haitian artist celebrated for vivid, Vodou-inspired paintings and a strong international exhibition record. Although not formally initiated into Vodou, he was a devoted participant in ceremonies and openly described them as a primary source of artistic inspiration, stating: “I constantly attend Voodoo ceremonies as an inspiration for my paintings.” From 1991 to 2007, Jorélus exhibited widely throughout Haiti, including presentations at Le Centre d’Art and the Musée d’Art Haïtien du Collège St-Pierre. His work also gained recognition abroad through exhibitions in Belgium, France, the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic. Among his notable milestones, he exhibited at the Musée d’Art Naïf in Lasne, Belgium (1994 and 1995), and at the Biennial of Caribbean & Central American Artists in Santo Domingo in 1996, where he was awarded a Gold Medal at the Museum of Modern Art of the Dominican Republic. Additional international highlights include exhibitions in France (Vicq, Île-de-France) in 1998, a U.S. museum show in Florida in 2000, and participation in Caribbean and transatlantic naïve art exhibitions through 2007. Remembered for his energetic visual language and spiritual subject matter, Jorélus remains an important figure within Haitian naïve painting, linking ceremonial life, imagination, and cultural tradition through color, rhythm, and narrative. Scroll down to make your selection (s)!