Destigmatizing Haitian culture through art
New exhibit at the Alliance Française of Chicago displays the work of Haitian American artist Ameera Pernebsati Lys.
Black History Month encapsulates cultures from all over the world, many of which have a large francophone influence. To showcase this, the Alliance Française of Chicago created a gallery for Haitian American artist Ameera Pernebsati Lys as part of Black History Month titled “Roots of Resilience,” which opened Thursday, Feb. 5.
Lys specializes in indigo textiles and mixed media. Along with this work, Lys explores many more techniques such as Japanese Shibori, collage, stamping, painting, ink, sculpture, quilting, jewelry design, photography and graphic design.
The main focus of Lys’ work is to show off her Haitian culture as well as her identity as a Black woman. Many of her pieces depict Vodou symbols, also called “vèvès,” of femininity such as the deity Erzulie Freda and the deity La Sirène, according to Lys.
“It’s important that I use those symbols in my work, because I want to destigmatize vodou. I think voudou and a lot of other indigenous traditions have been demonized and stigmatized,” Lys said.
Beyond the different symbols shown throughout Lys’ work, she is also very intentional with her practice of using indigo. Indigo textile is fabric that is dyed using a synthetic blue pigment in a vat that reduces the pigment to be soluble, which is then applied to the fabric and oxidized in the air to turn from a green shade to the indigo blue shade. Lys also teaches indigo textile workshops around Chicago to open the art style to more people who previously have had no way of exploring that medium.
“It’s much more of a dialogue between what you’ve done to the fabric and once it’s in the indigo fab, the indigo is having its input on what the final design is going to be,” Lys said.
D.E. Simmons is the executive director of Diasporal Rhythms, which has the goal of promoting and preserving art from the African Diaspora. Simmons had a conversation with Lys during the art talk at the Alliance. Simmons collects artwork in his household that he and his wife identify with, but also that his kids can look at and see themselves in.
“Storytelling is the thing that connects all of us … there are stories that transcend culture, there is music that transcends culture, and there is art that transcends culture,” Simmons said.
Storytelling is another theme central to the exhibit. Lys focuses on Haiti’s story and how she grew up experiencing the culture as a Haitian woman, which is where the exhibit’s title, “Roots of Resilience” comes from.
“So tonight, there’s some struggle in the pieces, because that’s just a part of the fabric. But what I want you to learn about Ameera is how she takes all of that and brings joy,” Simmons said.
The ability to showcase different francophone cultures at the Alliance is one of the highlights for Ryan Waldron, the director of culture programs at the organization.
“I don’t care how tenuous the connection is,” Waldron said. “If we’re able to explore art and culture, we’re going to do it as long as there’s some kind of connection to the French language.”
Partnerships are imperative to setting up events such as working with organizations like the Haitian American Museum. This helps the Alliance to show their community of primarily francophiles, people who are very fond of France and French culture, other important French cultures that are historically underrepresented, according to Waldron.
One of the main takeaways Lys wants patrons to get from the exhibit is that it adds to the story of Haiti and Haitian women specifically.
“There are many layers to it. There’s always room for transformation, there’s always room for growth, there’s always room to keep becoming yourselves. I’m always becoming myself,” Lys said. The Alliance will display the exhibit until March 31, 2026 along with other upcoming events that can be found on their website.
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