Haitian
Gabriel Bien-Aime
Haiti b. 1951Untitled (Transforming Spirit) 90.0033
Gabriel Bien-Aimé is from Croix-des-Bouquets. This town has become famous for its metal sculpture. The tradition was first started there by Georges Liautaud, the master of iron sculpture. Liautaud went on to influence future generations of artists, including Bien-Aimé. In vodou, the lwa (spirits) are at the center of the religion. These beings are conceptualized and represented in a variety of human and non-human forms, including as zanj (angels), saints, and diab (devils). Bien-Aimé's Transforming Spirit combines the idea of the winged angel and the horned devil. The artist has attached several additional heads to this central form on curved pieces. This technique, plus the addition of separate metal bands on the legs, neck, and wrist make this a three-dimensional piece, characteristic of Bien-Aimé's style.
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