Gaëtan Veno Joachim – Experiencing his creative evolution

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

The image is powerful. Two bronzed figures: a woman and a man, kneeling on one knee, with their one leg outstretched. They are bent back with a conch to their lips. Both man and woman have a sword in their other hand, rested by their thigh. It is a statement of oneness, and balance.

I am describing the latest piece created by Gaëtan Veno Joachim, a student of art, born in Haiti and now living in Toronto. It is called Le et La Marron Inconnu, and it will be released this month for Black History Month 2021. The piece is known as “The Unknown Maroon,” and also Neg Moron. It was originally sculptured by the Haitian architect Albert Mangonès, and is regarded as a symbol of black liberation, commemorating the cry that sparked the Haitian liberation, and the abolishment of slavery. His interpretation focuses on polarity, by bringing light to all women who have been forgotten in the Haitian revolution.

As soon as I saw Veno’s work I was drawn to it, and upon speaking with him, I learned why. We had to reschedule a few times, but when I did get him on the phone; it was such a spiritual experience.

“For as long as I can remember,” he began, “I’ve been drawn to creativity. I have no preference. I simply love art and the magic it forms. Art impacts my nature, my spiritual, personal and professional life. It is a tool that helps me in navigating the experiences that shape my creative evolution.”

“I see that you have used your middle name as your calling card; what does VENO mean?” I inquired.

“Vision, Enlightenment, Notion, Oneness. It is through vision that I do what I am doing. It is Enlightenment, why I am here Notion, means that I am open to everything around me (events, people), and Oneness means you are still unified to this journey.”

 “Tell me a little bit about your journey into the arts Veno,” I asked.

“I was born in Haiti, and I was ten when I came here. My family had to come here because of the embargo, and for my parents, it was an opportunity for them to have a better life. The art form in Haiti is bright, and the essence stuck with me. I was able to recognize myself, even in another country. Art helped me form my identity.

Art is a personality. You have to have that drive and that fire. Being malatto, I found that I was always trying to connect with others. Art became the way for me to connect. It became the bubble I lived in. It is what makes me different.”

“Where did your creative gene come from?”

“My father was into architectural creations. I would take electrical pieces and make them into robots. In Haiti, you didn’t have the excesses that you find in the western world. You had to be more creative. My mom is very artistic as well. She is very imaginative. They both encouraged me and cultivated the artistic side of me.”

 I had a chance to look at Veno’s website, and I was blown away by what I saw (https://iamveno.com/). His pieces were masterful, and I was enthralled by one of his element pieces called water. He had done so much work, so I was curious as to what he was most proud of.

“My greatest work is what I am doing now. Le et La Marron is a very special piece. In 1804, my people celebrated their liberation. What I did notice was that women were neglected, so I made a feminine piece. I felt like the nurturer is sometimes forgotten.

 I was inspired by everything that happened last year. I became a creative survivalist, and used all the tools that I had to advance myself. I had opened “Here I Create” located on College and Spadina, the day that COVID-19 shut down the city. It was such a false start for me, but it allowed me to collect myself. I thought that this was a good time to start giving back. I wanted to be a person, and not just a business. I wanted to let other artists around me know that the struggle is real if you are trying to do it alone. 

I had a lot of personal loss, and it was tough, I can’ t lie. I felt cluttered. I thought many times to myself, why am I doing all this? It is a struggling thing to be an artist.

 The stress actually halted my creativity. What this did was magical for me. I had to learn how to cultivate in a mental state, instead of a pressured state. This is when I discovered that art is a cure for mental health.

 I took the time to look at what was happening? When I stepped back and took a look at my situation, I began to feel like a warrior; the spirit wanted to showcase even more. I began to question myself: have you changed the universe? How do you leave an impression in people’s hearts?”

What I noticed when speaking with Veno, was that he spoke at a higher level of consciousness. I had been so wrapped up with his verbal expression; I didn’t realize that we had gone over our interview time. I still had some questions about his artwork. I wanted to overstand what the pieces meant, so he took some time to break them down for me. Two of his pieces from his website had caught my eye: Star Birth, and Riparian. I questioned the significance of those pieces.

With Star Birth, I wanted to encapsulate the aspect of being born. You are the element. You are born not knowing. The eye in the picture is opening. It is the opening of the spirit. You don’t know you’re born, you just are. You don’t know you are an infant, you just are

Riparian is the Life form that exists around a water source. It is made out of pastel. This piece took seven to eight months to create. This little section of the world could be a universe on its own. There is an illuminated side, and the opposite side is cooler, more lagoon light. Together, you see that warmth.”

The end of our dialogue convinced me that Veno was a creative genius. In 2019 he sold out 55% of his work. This spiritual superable is about to capture the hearts and minds of our people; just you wait and see.

You can find him on Instagram at: https://instagram.com/iamveno , and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/iamveno. You can also visit his company website: https://inc.agency/. Take a look. See what artistic expression captures you.

I left that interview feeling a lot lighter. This is the power of the creative.