MICHAËLLE
SERGILE
UNTITLED (GINGERBREAD)
2026
Two-shuttle jacquard weaves, cotton yarns, cherry wood.
As part of the exhibition And Then, Sometimes, a Memory, which explores grief and forms of memory tied to one’s country of origin, this work is part of a reflection on migration narratives and personal archives. The exhibition draws on the testimonies and photographs of three Haitian women, tracing their lives in Haiti and their migration journeys.
This work focuses specifically on “gingerbreads,” the iconic houses of Haitian architecture. Introduced during the colonial period, they were reappropriated over time to become important symbols of national heritage after independence. Through this architectural reference, the artist explores issues of preservation in a context where this heritage is now under threat.
Journalist Michèle Montas, the focus of the exhibition, once lived in one of these houses. The ongoing violence in Haiti, marked in particular by the burning of historic buildings, is making their preservation increasingly precarious. The work thus serves as an act of remembrance and a tribute to these structures.
Using photographs provided by Michèle Montas, the artist partially reconstructs the house’s structure, highlighting its framework. The installation also incorporates two weavings inspired by images provided by another participant in the exhibition as well as a member of her family. These weavings, composed of “black silhouettes,” are part of an ongoing project that began several years ago, aimed at creating open figures in which individual narratives can become collective.
The artist would like to thank the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec for its support in the production of this work. She extends her gratitude to Michèle Montas, Marie-Célie Agnant, Wilnie Brézault, Gregory Prescott and Natacha Chamko.
