Emilcar Similien, (Simil)
( Haitian, born 1944 )
View works on Artnet and our Haitian Art Gallery
Simil was born Emilcar Similien in St. Marc, Haiti on August 28, 1944. He completed his primary school studies at Frere Herve, the Christian Brothers School in St. Marc, in 1958, and continued his education at the Lycee Toussaint Louverture in Port-au-Prince.
In 1965, he entered the Academie des Beaux Arts in Port-au-Prince to study sculpture and painting. According to his longtime friend and dealer, Michel Monnin, at this time that Simil began a deep dialogue with Professor Montaguelli who besides teaching him art, also imparted to him “a certain attitude toward art; constancy of effort and the research necessary to find beauty." In his fifth year at the Academy, Simil became an assistant professor, teaching courses in Art History. He also worked with Georges Hector at "Coumbite 67."
Around this time he created a seven foot marble sculpture of Christ which was placed at the
sacred vodou site, Saut-d'eau, with a commemorative plaque.
Simil is an avant-garde intellectual who is interested in many things; He is an accomplished musician; he plays the violin and the slide trombone. He is a founding member of the National Association of Haitian Artists (ANAH) founded in 1977.
Published in
Nadal, Marie-Jose and Gerald Bloncourt. 1986. La Peinture Haitienne, Haitian Arts. Paris: Editions Nathan