Philomé Obin may very well be my favorite Haitian painter. Highly regarded and association with the Centre d'Art, Obin lead a Cap-Haitien branch. Several of his relatives continued in their own fashion his style, often depicting aspects of Haitian history, the Nord's regional identity and historical moments, of scenes of life in Cap-Haitien and its environs. Obin's style resonates with me in terms of its depiction of the human form as well as its thematic content. Obin, whose life encompassed Haiti's tumultuous period leading up to the US Occupation, creates visual evidence of Cap-Haitien's elites, popular culture, and Haitian social concerns without emphasis on Vodou themes or folklore.
From the bits and pieces I've been able to piece together of his life, he was from a Protestant background, a Mason, received some limited degree of art education, and had produced paintings for Masonic lodges in Cap-Haitien before Dewitt Peters and the Centre d'Art in Port-au-Prince was created. Rodman and Lerebours, of course, cover Obin's work and legacy, with the latter emphasizing Obin's middle-class status (or background) and past drawing lessons.
For me, however, one of the highlights of Obin's work is the break it gives one from constant allusions to Vodou as the "soul" or major theme of Haitian painting. History emerges as a constant theme in Obin's work, especially the importance of the Nord in the Haitian Revolution as well as the caco resistance during the US Occupation. Obin's work is a visual testament to several decades in Haitian history and life, educating both local and foreign audiences in the change and continuity of Haitian identity. While one sometimes senses a degree of nostalgia in Obin, one cannot avoid seeing some optimism in his work as well as a careful attention to social relations in Haiti. Obin's style and legacy is well-deserved, although some of his relatives and Cap-Haitien artists could not quite capture his highly stylized use of line and partial realism to depict human faces.
