Spirits in the Wind: New Exhibition at SFO Explores the Sequin Art of Haiti

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Spirits in the Wind: New Exhibition at SFO Explores the Sequin Art of Haiti

SAN FRANCISCO -- Spirits in the Wind: Sequin Art of Haiti brings the evolving art form of colorful sequined tapestries from the Caribbean country of Haiti to San Francisco International Airport.

The new exhibition features more than thirty flags that consist of a base of silk, cotton, or synthetic fabric upon which thousands of beads and sequins have been painstakingly hand sewn. The contemporary art flags are a widely celebrated derivation of the traditional flags that were originally created within the Vodou temples for ritual use during ceremonies in which the lwa (Vodou spirits who are responsible for the harmony between humans and their world) are honored. The rich images and symbols emblazoned on their surfaces reflect the history of Vodou in Haiti and the forces that create it.

In addition to the flags, the exhibition includes approximately twenty Vodou bottles, an essential part of the Vodou altar and ceremonial paraphernalia. The bottles are decorated with the same coded iconography for each spirit that is seen in the sacred flags.

Spirits in the Wind: Sequin Art of Haiti is located in Gallery D-1, pre-security in the connector between Terminals 2 and 3, Departures/Ticketing Level. The exhibition is on view twenty-four hours a day through January 25, 2004.

San Francisco Airport Museums

The San Francisco Airport Museums program was established by the Airport Commission in 1980 for the purposes of humanizing the Airport environment, providing visibility for the unique cultural life of San Francisco, and providing educational services for the traveling public. Today, the San Francisco Airport Museums features approximately twenty galleries throughout the Airport terminals displaying a rotating schedule of art, history, science, and cultural exhibitions, as well as the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, a permanent collection dedicated to the history of commercial aviation.