Yves Gabriel Studio

Last evening, Kandy G Lopez’s opening at the Coral Springs Museum of Art was amazing. I am thankful that she is able to share such a personal and intimate space through her work with all of us. Please check it out. I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did.

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“Mwen Wè Ou” (I See You), acrylic on canvas, repurposed materials, 48”x36”- Latest addition to my series, “Krik! Krak?: Is Anyone Listening?

Squeezed between two worlds while trying to reconcile this endless hope with normalized chaos, you still find a way to dream of the impossible—a place that, for once, makes sense of your plight to be seen, not by just some, but everyone.
Throughout your existence, you have been treated like the “other”, and yet it hurts even more to confront this reality that many cannot see the difference between you and the thugs terrorizing your community. But, today somehow feels different because you no longer see yourself as a victim, and because of that, your invisibility is no more.

“Rallying Cry”, acrylic on canvas, conch shell, repurposed materials, 48”x36”- The latest addition to my series, “Krik! Krak?: Is Anyone Listening?

“Rallying Cry”, acrylic on canvas, conch shell, repurposed materials, 48”x 36” - The latest addition to my series, “Krik! Krak?: Is Anyone Listening?”

“National Memory”, latest work from the series Krik! Krak?: Is Anyone Listening? , acrylic on canvas and wood, rope, repurposed materials, 48”x 40”.

"Infinite Hope", acrylic on wood, repurposed materials, 60"x60".

“A Nation’s Betrayal”, acrylic on wood, repurposed material, 40” x 36”. I created this piece soon after the Sandy Hook Elementary mass shooting to honor the victims, and today marks its somber 10th anniversary.

“We Are All Visible”, acrylic paint mixed with ground coffee, repurposed materials, 48” x 36”.
In this ongoing series, Krik! Krak?: Is Anyone Listening? , I use my artistry to encourage Haitians to think deeply about our collective and individual past and present experiences associated with these debilitating societal constructs left behind by colonialism, dictatorship, and foreign interventions. I hope these paintings and sculptures are received with an open mind to facilitate this amazing space where these experiences are used as an empowered narrative through which we choose collectively to embrace, face, and transform our trauma into a powerful force that propels us into creating a future based on truth, inclusivity, power, and honesty.

“Dreaming of Blue Skies”’, acrylic on canvas, repurposed materials, 48”x36” - Kite flying expands one’s imagination far beyond spaces that are often constrained through physical boundaries. It is a past-time that affords young and old to dream the impossible when hope seems to be fading away.
In this painting, the kite with its torn sail represents Haiti’s communities where people’s hopes and dreams seem to have faded away because of the continuing threats posed by gang violence and lack of security.

“Invisible Wounds”, acrylic on paper, repurposed materials, 48”x 36” - Many of us are working hard using our individual capacity to make Haiti whole. But, how is this even possible when some of us still believe the way to deal with the emotional wounds caused by our social constructs is to simply “Get Over It”?

This Haitian kite is the latest addition to my ongoing series, Krik? Krak!: Is Anyone Listening?

Come join us for the opening of the 14th Annual Exposed Exhibition & Fundraiser happening tonight, until 8pm at My piece, Reconciliation, is one of the many pieces being auctioned. Thank you for your support!

“Untitled”, acrylic on steel background, repurposed materials, 36”x30”-

“Where Religious Zealotry Claims Victory”, acrylic on canvas, repurposed materials, 60” x 60”-

“Rewind.Pause…” - acrylic on cardboard, threads, repurposed objects, 38”x40”-

“Factualized.History.Unsanitize(d)” , acrylic paint on cardboard, cardboard boxes, repurposed materials, 36”x36”.

“The Paintless Brush” - acrylic paint on wood, repurposed object, 53”x 42” -

New work in progress- I never thought working with wooden shingles as a new medium would be so much fun. Layers upon layers upon layers upon layers…. Loving and enjoying every part of that process.

“Play.Pause.Rewind”, acrylic on canvas, wooden shingles, repurposed materials, 43”x33” -

New work in progress- “The ability to take something that is destined to be thrown away or an empty canvas, or a wooden or steel panel, and use it to create a piece that is relevant to an important issue is far beyond my artistic skills. There must be some divine intervention in the process. As far as I am concerned, I could never reconcile my talent, my skills with the finished product without being able to recognize this unseen power in me. I am joyful and grateful to be able to feel it while I cannot fully understand it.”

“Peaches”, a visual interpretation of Nina Simone’s song “Four Women” - acrylic on canvas, repurposed materials, 36”x48”.

“Dominican Republic: Face It”, acrylic mixed with brown sugar, sugar canes, 36”x36” - This painting depicts the exploitation of the Haitian migrants and their inhumane conditions on the sugar plantations.

“Were You There”, acrylic on canvas, branches with thorns, repurposed materials, 36”x36”-

“Full Circle 1 & 2”, acrylic on canvas, repurposed materials, 36”x 48” - Full Circle 1 and 2 examine the sexual exploitation and despicable violence perpetuated by slave masters and mistresses on the enslaved women, young girls, and men while denying them agency and autonomy over their black bodies during the Antebellum period in the South. The purpose of this work is not to equate the assault on these individuals, but rather to depict how sexual violence impacted the entire enslaved communities during that period. While it is important to note that not all enslaved were subject to sexual exploitation and violence, it is equally important to mention that enslavement and its underlying principles enabled those in power to subjugate others through various psychological and physical practices, including coercion, sexual assault, and forced reproduction.

“Homage to War Photographers”, acrylic on canvas, repurposed materials, 72”x36” -

“Black Agency”, acrylic on canvas, repurposed materials, 36”x30”-

“Invisible Lines”, acrylic mixed with ground coffee on canvas, repurposed materials, 72”x72”. This painting is the latest addition to the Krik! Krak?: Is Anyone Listening? Series.

“Erasing Racism #2”, acrylic on cardboard, rusted steel background -

“Self-Reflection”, repurposed objects on treated rusted metal, 48”x36”.