Emmanuel Ménard, Minister of Culture and Communication, respectfully pays tribute to the memory of artist Patrick Vilaire, whose passing is a great loss for Haitian art.

Born on September 16, 1941, in Port-au-Prince, this sculptor, painter, ceramist, writer, collector, and specialist in ceramics and renewable energy, was President of the Foundation for Iconographic and Documentary Research and founder of the Group for Technical Assistance to Potters and Small-Scale Hydraulics in the Hills (GATAPHY).

A member of the International Academy of Ceramics (1964) and a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (France, 1991), and a research associate at the Smithsonian Institution since 2004, he received the Édouard Glissant Prize in May 2010.

A committed artist and creator deeply attached to the history, memory, and identity of the Haitian people, Patrick Vilaire made a significant contribution to enriching and preserving the national cultural heritage. His work testifies to his talent, his vision, and his profound commitment to Haiti.

In this time of sorrow, Minister Ménard, on behalf of the Government led by Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, extends his sincere condolences to the family of the departed, to his friends, colleagues, and the entire artistic and cultural community.

IH/ iciHaiti