Exhibit Treal : poetry

Monday, May 23, 2016

The "Art' of Haitian Pride takes on Miami

The streets of downtown Miami were flooded with a sea of red and blue as the 18th Annual Haitian Compas Festival jammed on! Yet this wasn't the city's only celebration of Haitian Pride. Just a few feet around the corner on the 7th floor of Mindwarehouse Connect's event space was an art exhibit like no other. Exhibt Treal (who's founders Jason "JaFleu" Fleurant & Tracy Guiteau are proud Haitians) had come into town with their own contemporay showcase of works and performances by creatives of Haitian Decent.

With the flag predominately displayed with their banner, the entire 7th floor was transformed. From the moment you stepped out the elevator, an array of emotions and feels smacked your soul. Artwork ranging from artist as such as the very entergtic 4yr old Judah James Powell, who could barely contain his glee! Artist traveled far be apart of the evening such as Mackenson Jean who hailed from Naples for his first ever art showing and Ismael Duret who took the ride down from Jacksonville with family by his side.

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Tracy Guiteau

Brenda Presil

Judah James Powell

Ismael Duret

Lawrence Jean-Louis

Belina Wright

Mc Kinson Souverain

Mackenson Jean

OMG Ray

Felix Wendy

Landy Tima

Mindwarehouse's curator Winsome Bolt was astoundish and

beyond proud of how Exhibit Treal put it all together. Upon arrival guest were left speechless at their surroundings. The energy was every bit as live as the festival on Bayfront! As the crowded floated in and around the massive gallery, picking the minds of their favorite artists and debating the meaning behind the works, you could not help but to be honored to be amongst it all and get caught up in the pride.

Art lovers were treated to a set of performances that were LIT and intimate. The 'unplugged' performances drew the listeners closers hanging on every sound. Co-hosted by Empress Prestige & Raa the Virtuoso.. the dynamic duos chemistry has ground leaps and bounds as they performed even filling in or adding each others songs smoothly. An onslaught of poeticly empowering messages came charginig out form Ayiti Bluez, slick mental gymnastics flows of O Solon and a show stopping, life breathing performance by single the return of Cleo J' Adore that many still are raving about!Their was even a special guest performance by founder & curator JaFleu that earned an encore that left him stunned at the request.

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The exhibit as provided an oppurtonity for What About The Children in Haiti's founder and board member Esland Berjuste & Chantel J to speak on their new domestic branch "What About The Children at Home?". Nov 11 the will be having a Teen Summit of which Exhibit Treal will be involved in,

Next up for Exhibit Treal...

Saturday May 28th:
Exhibit Treal: "The Secret" Books & Bites South Florida Pop-Up Exhibit

Sunday May 29th:
Exhibit Treal: "Spell It Out" Spelling Bee x Book Fair x Art Show

Register today for Palm Beach Carnival next month!!!!
www.westpalmbeachcarnival.com

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

How Youth Surrounded by Art, Poetry & Djembe's Bring the Goal to Life!

"Seeing is believing!" that's a common phrase we've all heard at the very least in some form or another in our lives. And last weekend provided a opportunity on many fronts to see what having our own gallery space would be like. One such example was Saturday's Iconic Eye Care x Exhibit Treal

collaboration "Artistic Vision" which not only was a women's exhibit but raise funds for Mother's Against Murderers Association. Yet it was what occured Sunday afternoon that really but the 'Visiob' into perspective.

Exhibit Treal Founder, artist Jason "JaFleu" Fleurant brought his nephews along with him to his rehearshal for Poetry In Motion Production's "Pleasant City" Thee Choreopoem. The rehearsal took place at director Empress Prestige's home. A home that happen to be filled with JaFleu's art. Artwork that his young impressionable nephews had never seen before.

They stood captivated by the colors and became inqusitive about the stories and the how. Only to be absolutely stunned to know these were the works of their uncle. Particularly 7 year old Elyjah, of who will be making his artist debut Saturday with art in "From Haiti with Love".

As the cast dove in to the rehearshals the children couldn't keep from waiting to watch. They were immerse in it all. "Those kids are never quite, or still. It was crazy to see how tuned in they were." JaFleu said. Elyjah who has a bit of issues with focusing and doing homework was shocked to hear Empress tell her cast to do their homework by writing their parts. "When I saw him react I saw it as the perfect oppurtunity to stress the importance of his schooling. I told him that even as adults, as artists we have to do our home work. Of which he vowed to because now he really wants to be part of the play."

After getting lost in a museum of art and inspired by the talents of the cast the boys found themselves overjoyed to play the djembe's and instruments of Abasi Hanif. All of which are part of his Livin' The Rhythm Youth Academy and Livin' the Rhythm Drum Circle.

When the boys mother arrived they did not want to leave, only going with the promise they could return next time. "When I finally got home, both of them rushed with with the biggest embrace. The oldest was asking me so many questions and so inspired it made me realize in that moment this is one of the things we are really trying to do with Exhibit Treal and key to why we need our own space. Some place where the youth of our communities can not only be involved and surrounded by the arts. But by the arts and the artists that looked and lived like them. People they can identify with. "