Maxan Jean Louis (Haitian, b.1966)

Maxan Jean Louis is a self-taught painter born in Jérémie, Haiti, on March 17, 1966. His known artist cousins, Henri and Eric Jean Louis, encouraged him to paint in 1992. He quickly developed his naive style inspired by the Voodoo culture and the political history of Haiti. Maxan sometimes adopts two distinct approaches: his lack of perspective human silhouettes, the repetition of ornamental motifs, and the colors recalling the Saint Soleil style Maxan oppose on the occasion of social events in an almost childish surrealist style. He expresses himself freely via his paintings.

Maxan Jean Louis' work is part of the permanent German Charlotte Zander, Museum collection in Bönnigheim. He has participated in various collective exhibitions, such as in France at the Musée d'Aquitaine in Bordeaux for the "Haitian Paintings of Voodoo Inspiration" exhibition, or in the United States at the "Haiti Art Expo" as part of the famous international fair Art Basel Miami Beach 2010. Maxan Jean-Louis discusses himself and his art in Patricia Goodrich's 2014 multimedia installation "Voices & Visions." Artists of Haiti". His art is also shown at The Patricia & Philip Frost Art Museum, Florida International University in Miami.