Myrlande Constant: DRAPO

Myrlande Constant is one of Haiti’s most prominent contemporary artists. She works in the tradition of drapo (literally meaning “flags”), a style of art created with fabric, embroidery, sequins, and beads depicting symbols, stories, and spirits from the Vodou religion. Drapo were originally displayed in spaces of worship, but during the mid-1900s artists also began selling them to tourists, and by the later portion of the century the most advanced examples the tradition began to be collected as works of fine art. In the early 2000s, Constant emerged as the first woman leader within the art form, introducing greater density of compositions and new techniques for sewing and beading. The creation of drapo requires a large studio of skilled artists working together, and many members of Constant’s artistic circle have gone on to build their own careers and studios, further solidifying her position of importance.

With their glittering materials, Constant’s works provide captivating experiences of light, color, and detail. Each feature is meticulously crafted, with every single sequin or bead carefully laid in place to suggest movement and texture. The largest drapo in the exhibition is the massive Sosyete Radha, which measures eight feet tall by nearly nine feet wide and is a recent addition to the Akron Art Museum’s own permanent collection. The tapestry’s title refers to the Radha society of Vodou practitioners that honor a specific group of spirits representing emotional stability and warmth, invoking them for healing and spiritual protection. At the top of Constant’s scene, a male figure dressed in white—the color associated with Radha spirts—reaches his arms upward, while his torso morphs into the trunk of a tree. He creates a connection between heaven and earth, extending protection over Haitian pastoral life. This choice of subject matter was particularly meaningful when Constant created Sosyete Radha in 2024, during a time of severe social and political instability in Haiti, which continues into the present.

Myrlande Constant: DRAPO brings ten large flags together in a single space, providing a stunning abundance of intricate craft, as well as a broader sense of Vodou and its dense mixture of West African, Central African, and Catholic religions. Through these sources and their understanding of many spirits, Vodou practitioners bring together love, inspiration, nature, and Haitian history and pride. Constant skillfully and impressively weaves all of this into her art.