Haitian

Berrier Duperrier

Haiti b. 1947
Legba (Vodou Queen) 82.0065

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Legba is one of the vodou lwa (spirits). He facilitates communication between the human and spiritual realms, and must be the first god saluted at a vodou ceremony. As god of the crossroads, Legba symbolizes the meeting point of many things, including life and death, and male and female. Although this spirit is more often conceptualized and represented as male, here Berrier represents the female side. The artist uses nails to decorate the headpiece and beard of this male/female vodou queen. She also wears a crown, which resembles a budding flower, sprouting from the center of her head. Unlike most Haitian sculpture, Berrier works with wood, instead of metal.

 

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