PEOPLE

CHICKEN FARMER

CHICKEN FARMER

Retail Price: $89.00

This piece is hand cut from recycled 50 gallon steel drums. Both ends of the drum are removed and placed inside of the remaining cylinder along with scrap paper, dried banana or sugar cane leaves. It is set on fire, to burn off any paint or residue. When cooled, the drum is cut down the side and flattened out to create a "metal canvas" of approximately 3' x 6', upon which the design is drawn. Using hammer, chisel and various primitive tools, the shape is cut and the various decorative patterns are pounded into the metal, creating a unique and treasured piece of primitive art. The finished design is coated with a protective finish. Can be hung indoors or outdoors.

Size: 23" x 23"

ID#: RND345

Quantity:
ARTIST PROFILE

Daniel Duval

from Haiti

Daniel Duval likes to depict the simple life of rural Haiti in his works.
It gives him delighted satisfaction to cut the design of a farmer pushing
his cart full of chickens with his lips pursed into a whistle. In another
recent piece, a small boy rides on the back of his father’s bicycle,
coming home from market with a fat, delicious pineapple in his small arms.
Clearly, his countrymen are his inspiration.

When asked what he likes most about his work, Daniel responds, “When I
have a design in my head and I can cut it into the metal, that’s what I
enjoy. I like to imagine people at an exhibition, seeing my pieces on
display. My biggest dream is to go to the United States and exhibit my
sculptures there.”

It is critical for his work to get exposure beyond the environs of Croix-
des-Bouquet and to sell it on the global market. According to Daniel,
there had previously been tourists who would come and buy, but they have
been non-existent since the 2010 earthquake. He laments, “My family
survived the earthquake okay, but now we suffer because no one comes to
Haiti. The tourists left and they did not come back. Things have not
improved very much since then. Life is quite hard.”

At least it is not without its pleasures. He talks animatedly about his
work and his hopes for the future. His biggest smiles, though, are
reserved for his three children. “I don’t just want to live to work. I
like to have fun with my children on the weekends. We go to the beach.
That is always a good time.”