Meet Ulrick Jean-Pierre, the Haitian historical heroes painter, now in Atlanta

This story is part of the Haitians in America series looking at Haitians and Haitian Americans across the United States. Financial support for this work is provided by the Ford Foundation.

ATLANTA — “I recall my first sketch looking more like a pig than a horse that it was supposed to be,” artist Ulrick Jean-Pierre said.

From drawing on a blackboard at age 4 in Roseaux, in Haiti’s southern region, to the giant studio space brimming with color he now occupies in Atlanta, Jean-Pierre has come a long way. In the process, his works of Haitian historical figures have become widely recognized. During Haitian patriotic days such as Independence Day and Flag Day, proud Haitians circulate his artwork, showing appreciation for the rich history and thriving contemporary art scene Jean-Pierre reflects on canvas. 

Atlanta’s diverse group of talented painters, styles and mediums, galleries and museums – including the renowned High Museum of Art and independent art spaces – appears to be the right place to be. Jean-Pierre calls Atlanta home after years in Pennsylvania, then Louisiana. Atlanta is also home to a vibrant Haitian community, drawing many Haitian artists using their unique perspectives and experiences to create and reflect their culture and heritage. 

“We have one historical source of identity,” he said during an interview in his studio.

“As an artist, I feel that I paint all of us when I paint Haitian history,” Jean-Pierre added. “Haitians are still facing constant political challenges … I have a responsibility to inspire social change, focusing on our history as a subject on my canvas.” 

From wall sketches to wall-sized paintings

Jean-Pierre’s story starts in Haiti with him sketching on the walls of the home shared with his family of six sisters and one brother. Instead of scolding him, Jean-Pierre’s parents gave him paper to pursue his passion. Even though schoolmates criticized his drawings, his parents’ encouragement kept him going. 

The sense of self-confidence Jean-Pierre gained from that point has stayed with him throughout his life. 

Jean-Pierre’s early artistic inspiration came from the art community in Petionville, where he lived from six to 22 years old. His uncle Louius Jean-Louis, a sculptor, also influenced him. By the time he reached high school, he decided to attend Le Foyer des Arts Plastiques in 1975. 

In 1977, the Haitian Cultural Society and Drexel University in Philadelphia invited Jean-Pierre, then 22, to present his work. Subsequently, Jean-Pierre attended classes at the University of the Arts in the City of Brotherly Love, and became aware of a wealth of historical documents about Haiti. They sparked his interest in retracing Haiti’s history on canvas. 

Initially, Jean-Pierre dreamt of being back in Haiti every night. He was unhappy with the weather and the lack of people on the streets. But as his research interest grew, he realized staying in America was a  better choice.

In 1978, Jean-Pierre was chosen among 60 artists to paint the then-President Jimmy Carter’s portrait. In 1990, he was one of only four artists invited to the grand opening of the Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta. 

Katrina triggers new perspectives, and a move

Jean-Pierre moved to Louisiana 17 years after arriving in the U.S., to be closer to the historical and cultural connection between Haiti and Louisiana, particularly New Orleans. For one, he discovered that Haitians who migrated to Louisiana during the Haitian Revolution helped build the state’s first university.

In 1995, Jean-Pierre purchased a home and had an art studio in New Orleans. Then came Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which destroyed Jean-Pierre’s home and art studio, submerging both under nine feet of water. He lost paintings, documents, newspapers and magazines. 

“I felt disoriented and submerged mentally, as I had lost a part of my identity as an artist,” Jean-Pierre recalls. “It was as if I lost a part of my identity in that chaos. It was a home that was connected to my archive historical studio.”

However, as he walked through the damaged property, Jean-Pierre slipped and fell in the floodwaters. The fall made Jean-Pierre realize that material possessions do not define him. He said he realized that the things he thought he had lost did not truly belong to him, but rather to the Earth.

Jean-Pierre then purchased a place in Atlanta in 2006, to live a simpler life – one connected to nature. 

The historical painting series, which he started in Philadelphia in 1979, is one of Jean-Pierre’s five main themes: social life, history, vèvè, surrealism and portraiture. Between the years, he has collaborated with scholars, university professors, art historians, writers, poets and anthropologists as he continues to produce. He has also published a book – ‘Revolutionary Freedoms’ – to commemorate the bicentennial, a contingency when plans to celebrate with an exhibit in 2004 fell through.

“Our history is the blueprint of reference,” said Jean-Pierre. “[One] that embodies the collective memory of our identity. I feel there is no sense of nationalism and patriotism.” 

Chantal Francesca Verna, who first met Jean-Pierre in New Orleans in 1996, was at his Atlanta studio in October to immerse the culture. She brought along her mother, aunt, friend and 5-year-old daughter, Macaya. Being able to learn about Haiti’s culture, art and stories through Jean-Pierre’s paintings is meaningful, given that travel to Haiti is infeasible.

“I was just fascinated by it and very excited to see the way that he represented Haitian history through such beauty and detail,” said Verna, an associate professor of history and international relations at Florida International University.

For more Haitians in America stories, check out our series page.