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The art of Haiti is
known worldwide. One of the unique
forms of art is the Haitian steel drum art.
Using
recycled 55-gallon oil drums, the artist first removes both round
ends of the drum and places these inside the cylinder along with dried
banana or sugar cane leaves. He sets this on fire, to burn
off any
paint or residue. When cooled down, the artist then cuts
the round
drum from top to bottom. The flattening process is a sight to
behold,
as one of the artists’ helpers will climb inside the drum and
using all
his weight, push with feet, legs, arms and shoulders to open it
up. It
is then pounded into a flattened "metal canvas" of
approximately 3" x
6". With chalk, the design is drawn onto the metal sheet. Now, the real
art work begins. 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 signed by the artist and coated with
a protective
finish.
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