Henri, Calixte
1933-
Calixte Henri was born in Port-au-Prince. Having done his primary and secondary education at the Lycee Petion, Calixte then became a telegraph operator. In 1955, he began painting at the Centre d'Art, where for four years he studied under Philomé Obin. From 1959 on, he worked out of his own studio. He spent three years in the U.S., where he gained recognition from the Guggenheim Foundation.
He was strongly influenced by the impressionists and cubists as well as certain Haitians, finding particular inspiration from both Braque and Seurat. As his methods evolved, Calixte abandoned brushes in favor of razor blades and later, the knife. His paintings developed from darker shades early on, into heightened finesse and transparency with more pastel tones and less contrast.
Calixte Henri has always been very attached to Haitian life. His uncompromising sincerity has made him a highly respected artist who has carved an important niche in the history of Haitian art. Many younger artists have studied under Henri, such as: Delnatus, Camy Rocher, Lamothe, Dreux, Hilome Jose, Cameau Rameau, Joseph Cameau and Yves Cameau.
Exhibitions
1982 - International Art Expo, New York, NY
1983 - Musee International d'Art Naif, Nice, France
1986 - International Art Exposition, New York, N.Y.
1986 - A.H. Riise Gallery, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin
1988 - Galerie Savannah Blue, Tampa, Florida
1990 - Exposition du Palais du Rhin, Strasborg, France
1991 - Le Musee d'Art Haitien, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Books and Catalogues
1982 - Art Expo: New York, p. 213
1983 - Peinture Haitienne, p. 40
1986 - La Peinture Haitienne, p. 166
1990 - Dialogue du Reel et de l'Imaginaire, p. 55
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