Georges DESARMES

Georges Desarmes was Born in Port-au-Prince on January 27, 1950, Desarmes began painting at the age of 19 under his original name, Yves Michaud. His two names each embody a different art style: Yves Michaud focuses on the social situation of Haiti and paints more realistic human figures, while Georges Desarmes focuses on village and boat scenes, the home, and still life.

 In 1969, he entered the Beaux Arts Academy and studied for a year.  He then began to work with Nehemy Jean who encouraged him to pursue an artistic career.

         Georges Desarmes met Carlo Jean-Jacques at the Galerie Monnin, who taught him the technical aspects of composing a painting.  In his work, he touches upon all the genres of Haitian art but truly does his best work while using the palette knife to depict marine scenes.

Yves began painting as Desarmes, following Michel Monnin’s advice so that he may attract a younger and/or modern clientele. Desarmes attempts to convey a new way of looking at things, showing their beauty through art. Each painting conveys a different message. Desarmes is an accomplished impressionist, his broad brushstrokes articulating the hills, townscapes and seascapes, and people of Haiti in thick and vibrant colors.

In 1971 Desarmes became a member of "Les Nouvellists" founded by Scordilis, but left them shortly afterwards to work on his own.  Then he set up a studio in Leogane where he is inspired by rural Haitian life.  He has been working for the Galerie Monnin since 1989.

Gifted with beautiful drawing skills and using flamboyant colors, Georges Désarmes walks us in the Haitian countryside which, by its bright colors and his technique, makes us revisit Haitian villages, littoral and mountainsides which reminds us of the brilliant School of Barbuzon in provential France.

When Yves Michaud becomes Georges Désarmes,

his reds ignite.

His blues become more somber.

The sky is more royal blue.

The sea seems more deep, more full of fish.

The small fishing villages, more colorful and prosperous.

Nature and men are in their Sunday’s best.

The miserable reality of everyday life is obscured.

Oh how difficult and fragile are the everyday scenes of trades and Haitian life that Michaud paints with humor, in paintings which have won him great success in the Galerie Monnin school.

And the painter becomes Désarmes to continue producing quality works, less restrictive than the Michauds.

 -Text by Michel Monnin  

EXHIBITIONS

1989- IFA Galerie und Kontaktstelle, Bonn, Germany

1999- Drawings, Galerie Monnin, Pétionville