Myrlande Constant

This lively piece depicts different manifesta tions of the Vodou warrior deity Ogou as they congregate around a large fire, the natural element with which they’re associated. As spiritual protectors who reign over the military and politics, Ogou embody strength and power. They are believed to have inspired enslaved Haitians to revolt against French colonial rule, winning Haitians their freedom in 1804.

Artist Myrlande Constant began making Vodou-themed flags in the 1990s, enlarging and transforming the traditional flag medium through a technique she describes as “painting with beads.” Constant’s beadwork and intricately rendered content are innovations to the sequinned flags used to honor and personify Vodou deities, or orishas.

–Kate Irvin, curator of costume and textiles