About the Filmmaker,
Pascal Giacomini

I came to Los Angeles in 1983 from Paris and began working as a cabinet-maker. From cabinet making, I went on to design furniture, functional art, and interiors in the residential and commercial realm. From there, I got the itch to create sculptures; and by 1994 was the subject of a one-man show of public, large scale works that spanned 14 city blocks in West Hollywood. Public exhibits in Malibu and Palm Springs followed.

My work has been featured at the Fowler Museum at UCLA, Craft and Folk Art Museum, LA, and several Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs venues; as well as in historic homes, such as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Sowden House in Hollywood, and the Norma Talmadge estate in Silver Lake. In addition to my functional art and sculpture, I am a mixed media photographer and documentary filmmaker.

Marrying into a Haitian family and a love of Haitian art drove me, along with my wife, to delve into Haitian art and culture in a very intense manner. Some years ago we opened Galerie Lakaye, which has since become LA’s premiere gallery of Haitian art. We have curated over 50 exhibitions at our gallery and cultural institutions over the last three decades.

When I was accepted to participate in the Ghetto Biennale of Port-au-Prince, I got the opportunity to do my art in the midst of this culture I know so well, and whose energy has been so inspiring.

My film, Out of Chaos, is a result of this synergy—called Melange in Haiti—where I take the audience on a trip to one of the poorest but most creative spots on the planet, and illustrate its far-reaching influence on my work. After creating my sculptures while there, using whatever materials I could find on the ground—just like the locals—I came back to Los Angeles with a completely different work ethic and creative process.

My new work pays homage to the genius of this amazing community of artmakers.