"MYSTERIOUS HAITI - Between Dream and Reality" A Photographic exhibit by Carole Devillers Press Review by Jean-Pierre Cloutier of Haiti-Times (1986) Photography has yet to be recognized as a true art form for many. How could a creative process, apparently so fast and simple, be associated with the hours and talent required to draw a painting, play piano masterfully, or write sonnets, to name those few art forms. For some, the ability to duplicate at will an image is reason to disqualify photography as art, thereby excluding silk-screens as objects of art. For others, the highly technical reliant medium can’t be real art, but musical synthesizers can play “Toccata and Fugue” and it’s all right. But fortunately, things are changing, and they are changing fast. In Australian photographer Max Dupain’s words, “Modern photography must do more than entertain. It must incite thought and, by its clear statements of actuality, cultivate a sympathetic understanding of men and women and the life they create and live.” From November 7 through 21, 1986, Port-au-Prince was treated to such an “incitement” at the Festival Arts gallery with photographer Carole Devillers’ “Mysterious Haiti” exhibit. The name Devillers may be familiar to many. The French-born photographer has been at it for several years, her work having been published in magazines like National Geographic, Jeune Afrique and Newsweek. She was also the subject of a National Geographic Explorer film where she was seen capturing images of the Saut d’Eau vodoun pilgrimage, and also collaborated with the Cousteau expedition during their visit to Haiti in the summer of 1985. Her first trip to Haiti dates back to 1976, and after returning a few times here, she decided to establish base permanently in Port-au-Prince in 1982. “Mysterious Haiti” is a collection of 46 color prints photographed in Haiti. It benefited from the financial support of Mr. Jacques Roux, from Marseilles, France, who after having seen Devillers’ work said: “The world at large must see this. I’ll try and make it happen.” Most of the prints are the result of a “sandwiching” technique that consists in overlapping two images to create a third one. A simple demonstration can be done by looking through two different color slides inserted in the same mount. The process has been used before by several creators of photographic impressions, including Bill Binzen, Maurice Tabard, and Pete Turner. Art directors in advertising agencies appreciate the resulting images because of their immediate impact. It is essentially a synergetic effect where the sum is greater than its part. The genre becomes easily a dialogue between fact and implied fact in the mind of those exposed to it. But although it can be described in such a simple way, it is not an easy technique to master. The key to succeeding in “sandwiching” is the choice of the two “parent” images, their compatibility, their ability to give birth to a third pictorial unit. Devillers managed to match many “couples” and even created single individual images to fit her needs. In those instances, she burnt tiny holes in color slides to achieve visual impact. Of the exhibit, Devillers said “By manipulating most of the pictures of this exhibit, I wanted to create a feeling of dream and mystery, and allow the mind to escape of the paths of imagination. These pictures are also a research into a personal creativity that differs from that of a simple photograph. For me, the exhibit is a tribute to Haiti as I wanted to highlight Haitian poetry by associating each photograph to a poetic excerpt.” The pictures are grouped by themes like “Freedom”, “Peasants”, “Mystery” and such. One series of pictures illustrated a poem by Marie-Therese Colimon-Hall called “Mon Pays” (“My Country”). Subjects range from underwater photography to rural scenes, from pictures of Saut d’Eau to illustrations of February 7th demonstrations. Palm branches and all. But the pure art form involvement of Carole Devillers is only one aspect of her activities. She is the founder of the Photography in Aid To Children of Haiti foundation, PATCH, which she modestly set up in 1984. PATCH is a non-profit organization designed to help out needy children-oriented projects. At first, she was selling small reprints of her pictures adorning greeting cards as a fund raising means. Revenues were small but nonetheless allowed helping out some programs in which children were involved. But feeling the need at this time to increase PATCH’s activities, Devillers enlisted the help of prominent members of the community to form a board of directors and set out new objectives for the foundation. PATCH accepts donations from the public in general, and its membership is open to all individuals, groups and companies who want to aid children in Haiti. PATCH is well on its way to achieving its goals with the new board of directors intent on aggressively promoting the foundation. "Mysterious Haiti” may indeed travel to the United States, Canada and Europe, providing interest is shown. Contributing to one’s environment makes one part of it. For her contribution to Haitian art and photography, for her involvement in social causes, meet Carole Devillers, Haitian photographer.