Manuel Mathieu: World Discovered Under Other Skies | Dwelling on the Invisible: Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami

In his first solo exhibition at a major United States institution, Manuel Mathieu showcases his vibrant paintings that seamlessly merge abstraction with figuration. Mathieu's works serve as reflections of our intertwined lives, where the boundaries between the past and present, or the personal and political are often blurred. Sharing memories that depict everyday scenes, Mathieu also interrogates the complex history of his familial homeland, Haiti, within his canvases. By unearthing the traumas of state violence, he addresses issues that remain as urgent today as they have been throughout Haitian history.

Presenting a constellation of works - including paintings, drawings, and ceramics - the exhibition, which originated at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery in Toronto, Ontario, sheds light on Haiti's relationship to the world. Positioned at the fault lines of modern political and environmental crises, Haiti epitomizes a global longing for liberation, and grassroots resistance to imperialist and capitalist exploits. At its core, this exhibition is an examination of the long-lasting repercussions of Haiti's pioneering revolt, which launched in 1791 to challenge slavery and colonialism. This, and its quest for self-determination have in recent decades, embroiled the nation in the intrigues of the Cold War.

Some paintings bring harrowing incidents back into contemporary consciousness, hinting at the atrocities committed by Haiti's ruthless dictatorships. Mathieu reminds us that commemorating the tragedies of the past does not fall solely on the shoulders of a nation's local or diasporic communities, but it is part of our collective responsibility. His works suggest a distinct understanding of Haiti's history - a history defined by global currents, which occasionally collide, resulting in frenzied episodes of mass violence. Mathieu, therefore, proposes that the dynamics of the world might manifest themselves in one place, like Haiti. Underlining common links and struggles that unite us despite national borders, he invites us to enter a world discovered under other skies.