Ralph Allen: Artist of the Month Exhibition: April 15 - May 15, 2003: Carrie Art Collection: Haitian Art

B I O G R A P H Y

Ralph Allen is born on June 14th 1952. He studies in Port-au-Prince at the Colleges St. Martial, Max Penette and Bird.

In 1971 he leaves Haiti for New York. He receives a scholarship at the National Academy School of Fine Arts, where he studies drawing, painting, graphic arts and sculpture. He wins The Albert H. Baldin Award, the Lucrecia Bori Award, and the Dr. Ralph Weiler Award.

In 1972 he represents the Haitian Arts at the New-York University Loeb Center.

In 1975 he is accepted at the Annual Exhibits of the National Academy of Design, the Audubon Artists of America, and the American Watercolor Society. His work is selected for the traveling exhibit throughout the U.S. and Australia. He meets artists like Charles White, Jacob Lawrence, Avel deKnight and discovers the Afro-American painting. He exhibits with fellow students of the Academy at the Ringwood Manor Museum in New Jersey and the Pioneer Gallery in Cooperstown.

In 1976 he returns in Haiti where he exhibits in group shows.

E X H I B I T S

1978

First One-man Show at the Galerie Panamericaine, Haiti.
The critic Roland Thadal calls him: The poor people's painter.

1979

One-man Show at Galerie Marassa, Haiti, and group show at Galerie Soley'o in Martinique where he meets local artists and discusses with René Louise who was conceiving an Aesthetic philosophy for the Caribbean artist called "Modern Marroonism". Later he will exhibit in Guadeloupe and French Guyana where he also meets local artists and discusses over Art in the region.

1980

One-man Show at Le Papyrus, Haiti. Pierre Monosiet, Director of the Musee d'Art Haitien wrote: "you have a lot to bring to the renewal of Haitian Arts."

1981

He meets Lois Mailou Jones and Paul Goodnight with whom he finds some affinities, and who invites him to exhibit with him and Jean-René Jerome at the Nyangoma Gallery in Washington DC.

1985

One-man Show at the Musee d'Art Haitien.

1987

Two-man Shows with Valcin II at the Musee d'Art Haitien as a Commemoration for the February 7th ( considered in Haiti as Freedom Day).. He then heads an Exhibit of Haitian Arts at the Hotel Ivoire, in Ivory Coast and takes part in a drawing show at Le Grand Palais, in Paris, France.

1988

Exhibit with Ralph Chapoteau, Katia San Millan and Obes Faustin at the Galeria Boinayel in Santo Domingo. He then participates in group shows in Martinique with Valcin II and Etzer Charles, at the "Contemporary Imprints" at Fort St Louis.

1991

Arte Bienal in Cuenca, Ecuador and "Regard sur Haiti" in Dinard, France. He tours Museums and Galleries in Paris. Group shows at Art Expo and Musee d'Art Haitien where he participates in a group Mural commemorating Martin Luther King.

1993

Solidarity with Raoul Denis Jr. at Festival Arts Gallery. Group shows with Galerie Nader in Japan, Galerie Monsieur Henry in Miami and Carib Art in N.Y.

1997

Group show at The Mupanah in Haiti.

1999

He heads an Exhibit of Haitian Art at the Milagro Center in West Palm Beach.

2000

Group shows in private residencies in Miami and N.Y. and One-man Show at the Atrium in Martinique and Culturenet, Haiti.

2001
Group show, "Fraterninad caribena", Museo del hombre Dominicano, Sto Domingo.
Group show, Mupanah, Haiti.

2002
One man show, Galeries Rivoli, Haiti.
Group show: "Heritage", contemporary Haitian art, Museo del hombre dominicano, Sto. Domingo.

2003
"Fraternite Caribeenne", Mupanah, Haiti.

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