A painter, kite-making instructor, musician, spoken-word poetry performer, and upcoming author on the topic of social commentary, Tetpwav Solèy was born in Hospital of Chancerelle, also known as Isaie Jeanty Hospital, in the Cité Soleil neighborhood in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area of Haiti. He delights in exploring the many facets of artistry. Tetpwav’s parents taught him, his brothers, and his sisters to stand up for what they believed in and to stay true to their Haitian culture. Growing up, Tetpwav analyzed his parents’ struggles to provide a better life for his family and realized that, through it all, they smiled and never complained –
that optimistic attitude launched his life philosophy..
Tetpwav Meet the Artist
Tetpwav working in progress
Tetpwav Visiting Mountain
Tetpwav Working In Peace with love
When Tetpwav was 5, his family’s house burned down and they were forced to move to a new neighborhood. One day, he saw a man standing on his balcony, painting on what appeared to be a huge canvas. Tetpwav remembers the colors being so bright and vivid. In time, Tetpwav discovered that this balcony was an art studio, where artists often congregated. He was entranced by the art and began visiting the studio to spend time with the artists.
This was his introduction to the artist’s life and stirred his desire to become an artist..
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TETPWAV SOLEY
That desire was further fueled when, at age 12, Tetpwav took a job at a printing company where he pasted pictures into calendars. As he stared into these images, he admired their artistry and found his desire to create growing more fervent.
At 16, Tetpwav met muralist Allwich Moca (aka T-Rasta), when T-Rasta was painting a mural in Tetpwav’s neighborhood in honor of the Haitian presidential inauguration. T-Rasta invited Tetpwav to his studio, and in time the two became friends and began working together. Their work garnered the attention of Dr. Fritz Moise, and they were commissioned to do a mural and logo for then-First Lady Hillary Clinton’s 1998 visit to Haiti.
Tetpwav lists underground artist Ralph Marsielle, also known as Ezrama, the Chanpwel Master, as a major influence. Ezrama’s masterful mixing of colors and his ability to paint shadows with nuance have shaped Tetpwav's work deeply.
Tetpwav’s most recent work also is shaped by the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti, a disaster that killed his father and many of his friends. This event fostered in him a strong desire to call attention to the problems of the world but also to reveal the beauty, in even the problems. In his forthcoming book, he explains, “My art always has subtle messages about how I experience my culture. Now, the intensity of my message is stronger. It’s more spiritual. It’s more conscious.” (I Speak the Language of My Culture, anticipated publication 2023)
Tetpwav’s current graphics and paintings attempt to illustrate the contrasting experiences of human tragedy and triumph. He desires to capture people’s struggle and strength in his work. As an artist, Tetpwav wants to help his viewers connect their own experiences to the experiences of people and cultures they might not know first-hand. His goal with his art is to open minds, hearts, and doors.
Ultimately, Tetpwav would like to start a foundation where young people can find artistic inspiration through arts and crafts, much as he did on that artists’ balcony so many years ago,
much as he did on that artists’ balcony so many years ago.
