About the Study Guide
Galerie Lakaye, a Los Angeles-based art gallery specializing in Haitian art and promoting Black culture, is powerfully defining its commitment to social justice by championing arts education in the university setting.
Haiti has been called a nation where “art is life” (Los Angeles Times). People want to know why—and how—this is possible in such a poverty-stricken place. To help answer that question, Galerie Lakaye has produced an award-winning 67-minute feature documentary film titled Out of Chaos: An Artist’s Journey in Haiti, which serves as the foundation of the Lakaye arts education curriculum. It allows instructors to explore and discuss the following issues:
the differences and similarities in artistic and aesthetic values of different cultures
privilege
sustainable art creation
lack of resources and resourcefulness
the Black experience
racism and opportunity
community, and more
The curriculum comes with a Study Guide with curated discussions by topic and activities designed to safely process and explore content, concepts, and career opportunities. Learn more about the Guide below.
Educational and cultural institutions that purchase the film for screening will be provided with a copy of the Study Guide upon request.
Study Guide Discussion Topics
Below is a quick look at the subjects covered in the academic Study Guide (written by Dieter Bruhn, and based on the film). This list is intended to help teachers engage students through small groups discussions and facilitate learning through guided questions, fun activities, Jeopardy-like game categories, and presentations.
Art as Societal and Cultural Expression
Art, Religion and Vodou Culture
Art and Resistance
History of Haiti and the Arts
Recycling and Sustainable Art Creation
Art and Poverty
Slavery and Empowerment
Racism and Opportunity
The Black Experience
Immigration
Entrepreneurship
Creative Journalism and Filmmaking
Excerpt from the Introduction to the Study Guide
Haiti is a study in contrasts and controversy. It is a source of pride for Black people everywhere, having abolished slavery through the only successful slave revolt in history. Today it is one of the biggest sources for Black art in the world in spite of being the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere. Artists living in ultra-poor conditions create an unparalleled amount of art using whatever they can find in their environment. Many of these works now reside in museum collections worldwide.
A positive, if unvarnished, look at Haiti’s culture and its indestructible spirit, Out of Chaos brings these little-known aspects of Haiti to the forefront, in the process creating an avenue for in-depth discussion of many issues relevant to the world we live in today. Out of Chaos: An Artist’s Journey in Haiti, is directed and shot by Pascal Giacomini, a French-American multidisciplinary artist, and written and produced by his wife Carine Fabius, a Haitian-American writer, gallerist, and museum curator.
This study guide provides engaging topics and activities that can be used in a variety of classes, including:
art
art history
social studies
ethnic studies
sociology
political science
journalism
business
and much more!
Depending on the class, professors and teachers can select topics that most closely align with their learning objectives. For example, students can be led on an exploration of:
diversity in the arts
sustainable art creation
the value of art to a community
the effect of poverty on art creation
the impact of a nation’s history on its artists and culture
the impact of religion on art
political repercussions of Haiti on United States history
race relations
the Black experience
the politicization of immigration
class empowerment
poverty
recycling
sustainability
entrepreneurship.
Professors and teachers can choose from seven engaging activities that aim to put the learning into the hands of their students and thereby create a more learner-centered environment. This allows students to immerse themselves in the topics highlighted in the film and to make deeper connections to important issues that are prevalent in their own communities and around the world.