Watson Mere | FLATBUSH

Watson Mere is an award-winning visual and performance artist exhibiting his work for the past eight years. Mere’s art has been shown in galleries, museums, and venues, which include the Barclays Center. He has earned various awards including the 2022 Elizabeth Foundation For The Arts Studio Program and the 2023 Frederieke Sanders Taylor StudioProjects Fund. Mere’s artistry has been featured in publications such as The Washington Post, Hyperallergic, and more. Mere attended Florida A&M University, receiving an MBA in 2015. He lives in Brooklyn and maintains a studio at The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts in Times Square, Manhattan.

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“At the start of my Lakou NOU residency, I immersed myself in a vast array of books and documentaries on Haitian Vodou as a foundation for my research. This deep dive not only provided a scholarly reference but also awakened memories of subtle spiritual observations from my childhood. One of the most profound discoveries was the potomitan, the central pillar in Haitian Vodou temples. Reading about its significance and witnessing one in person within a Vodou temple in New York became the catalyst for my Potomitan art piece.

The interviews I conducted played an equally pivotal role in shaping my project. Speaking with Haitians in Flatbush and other Brooklyn neighborhoods, I encountered a vast spectrum of spiritual perspectives, some deeply rooted in Vodou, others shaped by Christianity, and many existing within a space of duality or private acknowledgment. These conversations not only informed the direction of my work but also led me to reflect on my spiritual journey, making the project a personal exploration as well as a community-centered one.

Spending time in Flatbush businesses like Drip BK and Lips Café allowed me to see the rhythm of the neighborhood. Whether through overhearing conversations about local issues or being invited to local events, these spaces became a bridge between observation and participation. Simply walking the streets, and listening to the voices and music, I felt the raw pulse of Flatbush and its ever-present Haitian identity.

Attending Haitian cultural events, exhibitions, parties, and ceremonies further expanded my understanding of modern Haitian spirituality. Additionally, working with Flanbwayan, a Haitian youth organization, gave me insight into the challenges young Haitians face in Flatbush. This led me to incorporate community-driven initiatives into my project, from fundraisers to art career workshops and group exhibitions, to uplift and empower young local Haitian artists.”

– Watson Mere

Photos by Watson Mere and Marleen Moise.

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Yon Nouvo Rèv is comprised of three interconnected pieces spanning the mediums of visual arts, video, and performance art, all rooted in his residency’s focal theme: Haitian spirituality and its relationship to the modern-day Haitian, particularly those living in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

Potomitan is an 8-foot by 7-foot painting inspired by the central pillar of Haitian Vodou temples that go by the same name, which serves as a conduit for the Loa to enter the physical world. Throughout his residency, Watson explored the potomitan’s significance as a spiritual gateway and the painting symbolizes the magnitude and gravity of these portals.

Piti Zanseet Yo, Mere’s video piece features interviews with three Haitian women and three Haitian men from Flatbush and Brooklyn, offering diverse perspectives on their relationships with Haitian spirituality, particularly Vodou. These conversations provide an intimate look at how Haitian spirituality permeates identity, whether openly embraced or quietly embedded in the subconscious.

Lastly, his performance art piece, Modern Ancient Entity, is a four-minute dialogue in which the protagonist grapples with his Christian upbringing and the persistent presence of the Loa, who reveal themselves in his dreams and daily life. This internal struggle reflects the complex interplay between ancestral spirituality and colonial religious influence, a duality many Haitians continue to navigate today.

Together, these works of art illuminate the ever-evolving presence of Haitian spirituality in contemporary life and finding creative voice while seeking this connection.