Jane Evelyn Atwood

Insecurity and terror prevailed, but I had not gone to shoot stereotypes such as voodoo and violence; I wanted to see the ordinary, everyday life of these people who have suffered such chaos and poverty and who are still incredibly vibrant. Because most the people of Haiti have had nothing to do with the tragic and bloody events of recent years. I wanted to find out what their lives were like. I usually work in black and white, but color was the obvious choice here. From the outset I realized that Haiti would have to be presented in a new, different way. It was more than just a report on a country; I saw it as a challenge, for color, light, shade and contrast, in a bid to grasp the full sensual force of these extraordinary and wild people who just keep on living, defiant in the face of adversity, in a country that is described, and quite rightly so, as one of the poorest in the world. Commission from the French Ministry for Culture & Communication (National Center for Visual Arts)

The photographs were taken in Haiti in 2005, 2006 and 2007, at Gonaives, Jérémie, Port-de-Paix, Anse Rouge, St. Louis du Nord and Bassin Bleu.

Jane Evelyn Atwood

I wish to thank Action Contre La Faim, Paris Match, Central Color and the agency Vu for their support.