Yolanda Wood, A Cultural Worker for Haiti
Yolanda Wood, professor and prominent art critic on issues concerning the Caribbean has remained for more than 30 years linked to Haitian culture. Her work begins as thesis advisor of Manuel Delgado whose work was titled “La pintura contemporánea en Haití” (1986). Later, she worked as Adviser to the Minister of Culture, Raoul Peck, at ENART to re-open the School of Arts of Haiti in 1996. She taught courses in Caribbean Art, invited by the Fondation Culture Création. The edited result of this work -in French- L’art La Caraïbe (Take Fondation Culture Création. Haiti. 2000.) The intention was to make a series of six books, but only the first was completed and published. She also gave a course of Caribbean Art at Quisqueya University (in French).
Her work in Art Criticism has been linked to the themes of Haitian culture and its relationship with Cuba and the region. Yolanda participated in several events: Forum of Ministers of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean. Haiti. (2000); Premier Forum du cinéma et de l’Audiovisuel in Haiti. Port au Prince (2001); African-American Forum, organized by the Foundation of the same name (2006); Haiti: Memory and Heritage to the current time, in International Event of vernacular architecture. Havana, 2010; Large Haitian figures. UH Caribbean Chair, 2011; Situation of the arts in Haiti. Haitian culture week in Havana. 2012
Among her most notable publications are:
- Lo visual en un sistema mágico religioso: el vodú. Del Caribe. Santiago de Cuba. 1989 Publicado en francés en Culture, magazín de la Fundation Culture Création, Haití .
- El espacio haitiano en El Reino de este mundo. Revista de la Biblioteca Nacional., 4. 1999.
- Puerto Príncipe, mío también. Gaceta de Cuba: 6 . 2000
- Carlos Enríquez en Haití. Revista de la Biblioteca Nacional: 3-4. Julio-Diciembre, 2000.
- “Bois Caiman: designios visuales de una artista haitiana”. Revolución y Cultura. La Habana. 2 Abril-mayo-junio 2011 pp. 46-50
Texts for catalogs
- Signes dans tous les sens. Exposición personal “Trashumance”de Barbara Prezeau. Puerto Príncipe. Haití. 1996.
- Tiga, la minute de léternelle. Exposiicón personal. Puerto Príncipe. Haití.1997
- L’essentialisme pictural de Séjourné et de Jérôme. Exposición de ambos artistas. Puerto Príncipe. Haití. 1997.
- Corrientes calientes. Exposición homónima. MUPANHA. Haití, 2009
As Director of the Centro de Estudios del Caribe of Casa de las Américas, Cuba (2006- 2015) Yolanda Wood has organized events, commemorations and publications on Haiti, for example, Jacques Roumain, centenary (2007) and the cultural program Ayiti Cherie in support of the Haitian people affected by the 2010 Earthquake.
Contributed by Vilma Diaz