Bawon Samdi, Grann Brijit, and Gede

In this piece, Myrlande Constant weaves together Christian and Vodou cosmologies through the imagery of three trees and three lwa. The Tree of Life, Tree of Death, and Tree of Christ frame a powerful scene where Bawon Samdi, Grann Brijit, and a Gede spirit grieve rather than rejoice. Katherine Smith highlights how Constant reimagines these spirits with emotional depth, placing them at the center of a narrative about loss, death, and sacred balance—an intimate reflection of Constant’s personal religious vision and artistic storytelling.

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  • Katherine Smith wearing a green top, with a piece of a Myrlande Constant artwork visible behind her

    Katherine

    Smith

    Former Curatorial and Research Associate of Haitian Arts

    Fowler Museum at UCLA