Ultravocal

by

Translated from by

Published: Coming 2024

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Book Description

Ultravocal pushes the limits of genre, turning shockingly visceral images of the destruction, violence, death, and decay in the author’s native Haiti into art. We witness the country’s problematic relationship with its own past, but also its grandeur, rich artistic traditions, and the transformative possibilities of language.

[Frankétienne] is not only a major Haitian writer, he is probably the major Haitian writer, forever.

Jean Jonassaint, Syracuse University


It is Frankétienne's audacity in his writing—his charming ability to calmly bring his interlocutor into his initially terrifying world, it is an audacity to imbue the material, whether it be his poetry, his paintings or his theatre, with a sense of the urgency of humanity—which makes him such an incredible writer and persona.

Emmelie Prophete


His work can speak to the most intellectual person in the society as well as the most humble. It's a very generous kind of genius he has, one I can't imagine Haitian literature ever existing without.

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian-American author


"Scholars widely view Frankétienne as Haiti's most important writer."

The New York Times


"Frankétienne is the Renaissance Man of contemporary Haitian culture. At once, he is recognized as one of Haiti's leading writers in both French and Creole, and also one of its most prominent visual artists."

Rachel Douglas, author of Frankétienne and Rewriting: A Work in Progress


Laura Wagner, Ph.D., archivist at Radio Haiti, examines a letter Frankétienne wrote to Haitian radio journalist Jean Dominique, in which Frankétienne describes his work Ultravocal.

This New York Times profile of Frankétienne is from 2011, a time of flux not only for his artistic approach but also, much more tragically, for Haiti as a whole. This interview with the “Father of Haitian Letters” deals with the issues of art and chaos in relation to the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

You can learn more about his efforts to support Haitian artists after the 2010 earthquake by reading this interview with UNESCO.

A few of Frankétienne’s paintings are viewable online through the Galerie Martelly.

In 2014, Frankétienne collaborated with Scottish musician Mark Mulholland on the album Chaophonies, which combines spoken word and music. You can listen to a preview on SoundCloud. The complete album is now available on iTunes.