VANÉ  RUSSO

Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Lives and works in New York City.

​I was born in Haiti. A place that has shaped my soul and view on life very differently than the world of today. There was chaos and insecurities at times, but this came with an intense sense of belonging, surviving, and a true identity. I would not change anything about it. The unapologetic colors I use, the subjects I’m interested in, the way my body moves when I hear the drum beat, and the child in me all say, take me as I am.

In 1999, I left PAP, and  enrolled in Escuela de Artes Plásticas in San Juan , Puerto Rico. My early paintings evoked my home and the range of impressions Haiti left upon me. Through explosive color and gesture, I found the means to express myself and my experience, bringing my personal history to the surface. I obsessed over bold, large formats, encouraging my viewers inward.

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In my later body of work of collages, paintings, and murals, "Les Vierges", I appropriate religious imagery to cast complex portraits of contemporary female figures -not as an expression of faith- but as clashes of sexuality and spirituality. 

The portrayal of women as virgins has evolved significantly over time. This work reflects that duality; showcasing how modern sensibilities reinterpret traditional themes.  Suggesting that purity can exist in different contexts. Modern representations of virgins often engage in social commentary, depicting women standing against societal pressures— and asserting their individuality. 

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Since Puerto Rico, I've lived across the globe- Lebanon, Paris, Hawaii, New York, and Los Angeles, among others. Still, my home and identity remain in Haiti. My goal is to represent the island in all its vivid color, from its vibrant people and land to the ashen shadows of its conflict.

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