Spirit Guides (2009) – Frito Bastien – Original Framed Acrylic – 25x37.5 in
 
About the Artwork "Spirit Guides" is a powerful and reverent portrait that serves as a portal into the sacred world of Haitian Vodou. Painted in 2009, the work depicts a Houngan (priest) in ceremonial attire, seated with calm authority. He is surrounded by a luminous halo of protective ancestral spirits, rendered in swirling, dreamlike forms that blur the line between the physical and metaphysical. This piece is a visual affirmation of identity and reverence, translating lived spiritual practice into a masterful composition of rich color and rhythmic symbolism.
 
About the Artist Frito Bastien (b. 1954) is a world-renowned Haitian master whose work preserves the spiritual soul of his homeland. A Pew Fellowship recipient, Bastien’s "naïve" style is deeply informed by his memories of Jacmel and his life in Philadelphia as a political exile. His paintings are celebrated for their "coded critiques" and their ability to elevate Haitian cultural traditions to a global stage.