Olivier Souffrant Haiti, b. 1984

Born in Haiti, Olivier Souffrant relocated to Chicago after experiencing the 2004 coup d’état and the devastating earthquake of 2010. His work reflects a dialogue between classical art history and African American cultural references, resulting in richly layered, densely composed paintings. In this regard, Souffrant’s practice shares an affinity with that of Jean-Michel Basquiat, particularly in its synthesis of historical and contemporary visual languages.

 

Souffrant incorporates everyday materials and digital sources—such as magazines, online publications, computers, and mobile devices—into his working process. Using Photoshop as a contemporary extension of collage, he repeatedly cuts, scans, and reassembles images drawn from print media and freely available online sources. These digital compositions are then printed onto canvas or aluminum panels, serving as an underlayer that he further transforms with acrylic and oil paint.

 

Through this hybrid methodology, Souffrant addresses themes of image saturation, appropriation, and the rapid circulation of visual culture. His paintings probe emotional and psychological interiority through accumulated layers of paint and imagery sourced from social media and mass media platforms.

 

Souffrant studied at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has presented solo exhibitions at Zidoun-Bossuyt, Dubai; Stems Gallery, Paris and Brussels; The Carr Center, Detroit; and Kravets Wehby Gallery, New York. His work has been included in recent group exhibitions at Hole Gallery, New York; Room57 Gallery, New York; and Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town. He has also exhibited with institutions including The Carr Center, Detroit, and the Harvey Museum, Talladega.