Untitled

2022 - Painting (Painting)
190 x 130 cm

In this untitled acrylic painting, Tessa Mars explores the long-lasting effects of colonialism on the Afro-Caribbean diaspora, particularly in terms of female vulnerability and resilience. Drawing on her interest in retelling stories of her native country, and confronting the past and the present, Mars portrays her cultural essence and heritage by imagining spiritual spaces that connect people and land across time. With a pictorial practice that highlights pastel colors, the divinisation of the figures on the canvas and the spiritual elements within the composition ultimately enhance the narrative of her Caribbean ancestry while conflating the distinctions between autobiographical and historical events. Combining grey-scale with richly saturated hues in blue and yellow, the work recounts a story of survival and belonging, of embracing and being embraced in return. The work was commissioned in May 2022 by Framer Framed to be part of their exhibition Kazal: Narrating Haitian Memories.

Tessa Mars delves into Haitian history, her primary source of inspiration, to unveil a colourful and provocative universe that she wishes to reclaim. Her paintings explore themes around identity, history, and rituals. Collective energy runs through her canvases and represents the identity and essence of her native country, investigating notions of patriotism, and sovereignty while confronting them with the reality of everyday Haitian life. Mars recounts stories of her people while examining her recent migration experience, merging memory and self-portraiture focused on a feminine universe, struggle, and legacy, as much as Haiti’s revolutionary past.