Writing on the Wall: Haiti, London, Elsewhere (2009-2010)

WRITING ON THE WALL

SPEAKING WITH THE PEOPLE OF HAITI

FOUNDERS OF THE FIRST TRULY FREE NATION OF THE WORLD

Artists Pedro Lasch (Mexico/US) and Moïse Jerry Rosembert, aka Jerry (Haiti) invite people in London, New York, and other cities around the world to participate in this project from January 26 to May 2, 2010.

PUT HAITI IN YOUR MIND AND CITY

PUT YOUR MIND AND IDEAS IN HAITI

For the duration of this work Port-Au-Prince based painter and highly recognized graffiti artist Jerry (Moïse Jerry Rosembert) will work in the streets of his home town transferring international messages on the remaining and partly destroyed walls of the Haitian capital. He will also send messages to Pedro Lasch so they can be placed on the walls of London, New York, and other cities around the world. The messages may be artistic, personal, functional, or political. Some of them will be ‘written on the walls’ exactly as they are sent by each participant, while others will be interpreted by Jerry and Pedro Lasch for the given context, sometimes as altered text, as translation or as a drawing on the wall. The project is centered on the notion that the world needs to recognize and celebrate the material, intellectual, and spiritual wealth Haiti has already given the world, having created the first truly democratic nation on our planet after their 1804 Revolution, as well as a history of constant pride and resistance to global oppression. Jerry and Pedro met in Haiti in December 2009 when they were collaborating for work done at the first international Ghetto Biennale (www.ghettobiennale.com). This project is one of their responses to the crisis caused by the tragic earthquake of January 12th but it is also a continuation of the work initiated at the Biennale last year. Jerry is one of the survivors, and his survival has already inspired him to put his art on the streets.

If you want Jerry to transfer your idea or message to the walls of Haiti, whatever your message or idea may be, please email Pedro Lasch at plasch[at]duke.edu with the words HAITI WRITING ON THE WALL in the subject line. We are asking for senders to pay the equivalent of $25 (USDollar) for each message. All of the funds collected in this way, excluding the cost of international money transfers, will be sent to Jerry to pay for the work he is doing in Haiti. All participants will be recognized by name and associated with their message unless they request to remain anonymous or use a pseudonym. Pedro Lasch will not receive any payments for work done on this project, but will collect the funds from participants and send them to Jerry to save on transfer fees. Updates and images of the work Jerry produces on the walls in Haiti in collaboration with each participant and their messages will be posted on Pedro Lasch’s blog at:

http://www.pedrolasch.com/blog/