It is late morning, and the hustle and bustle in the heart of Halerm in New York City is about to be at its peak. A group of Baruch College students gathered at the corner of 124th Street and Lenox Avenue to talk with 36-year-old Harlem-based artist Figi Saint-Louis.

Baruch students wait for Fitgi Saint-Louis at 12th Street and Lenox Avenue. Photo by Juan Diego Ramirez.

The New York City Department of Transportation Art program selected Saint-Louis as a part of its NYC DOT Community Commission program. Fitgi was part of the first group of artists to participate in the program since its pause due to the COVID pandemic in 2020. 

“The Department of Transportation had a part of their budget where they can revitalize city streets.
And there was one call for all five boroughs, but one artist would be selected for each site,” said Fitgi at the busy intersection. 

She was awarded twenty thousand dollars from the DOT for a public art installation.

“So I, as the artist, was very much the project manager for it,” she said. 

According to Fitgi, although the lump sum was helpful, it was up to her how the funds would be distributed. She had to budget for materials, fabrication, installation,  maintenance, and the artist’s fee. That also included the budget for her two community engagement events.  

“I had a spreadsheet where I aligned all of those different line items, even having help from assistance, was all calculated into that budget,” she said.

Fitgi Saint-Louis posts next to one of the sculptures that make up her “Aunties” artwork. Photo by Juan Diego Ramirez.

The NYC DOT program had each sponsored artist partner with a community organization. Fitgi partnered with the West Halem Art Fund, which creates sculptural works. With their help, Fitgi was able to make “Aunties”, a colorful trio of nearly six-foot-tall wooden sculptures that resemble a simplified shadow of women, meant to honor the women of Harlem. 

But the West Halem Art Fund was not the only help Fitgi got for this project. At her Harlem studio, Fitgi also got help from those close to her.

“My parents and my family, we all helped paint, to put it together,” she said.

Fitgi Saint-Louis posts next to her artwork, “Aunties”. Photo by Juan Diego Ramirez.

The artwork is located in the median strip on Lenox Avenue, visible to those walking in the area and car traffic heading uptown.

Fitgi, who is also a Harlem resident, describes the reason why she set her sights on this location. 

“What drew me to it was its proximity to 125th, which is a huge corridor and avenue for Harlem history. Lenox Lounge, back in the day, used to be right here, so it’s a cultural hub,” said Fitgi.

“Aunties” by Fitigi Saint-Louis. Photo by Juan Diego Ramirez.

The sculpture has caught the attention of many community members, among them, Harlem resident, Gina Ramcharam, Chief Idea Curator at Idea Manufacturer.

“I think it’s inspiring. I love that it pays homage to black women,” said Ramcharam.

Ramcharam appreciates the colorful sculptures because they remind her of her childhood toys. She said the name “Aunties” has a deeper meaning in her personal life.

“I’ve lived here for 26 years, and the reason I could live and make a life in Harlem and my family and myself thrive in Harlem was because of the aunties that took care of the community,” she said.

But “Aunties is not the only art installation Fitgi is displaying in Harlem. Just a few blocks northwest of the “Aunties” location, at Saint Nicholas Park on 135th Street, lies her other artwork, Fanal: Fe Limye. Fanal: Fe Limye pays homage to Fitgi’s Haitian roots. It is a shed-sized Fanal lantern decorated with colorful geometrical shapes, typically found in Haiti during the holiday season.

“Fanal: Fe Limye” by Fitgi Saint-Louis at Saint Nicholas Park in Harlem. Photo by Juan Diego Ramirez.

”It’s a special piece. And I think that it was the first piece of art here,” said Mosart X, a local artist and park visitor.

Mosart X sees the park as a playground for adults, and for him, it serves as an open space for inspiration. But seeing Fitgi’s artwork reminds him of a terrible incident in his life.

“My house burned down, I moved here due to a house fire, so also seeing that weirdly, it reminds me of a house on fire, but still protected, still loved, it’s still beautiful, it reminds me of a little bit of my home.”

It is a bittersweet sight for Mosart X, yet he remains positive and perceives Fitgi’s work as uplifting.

Fitgi Saint-Louis posing next to her artwork titled “Fanal: Fe Limye” at Saint Nicholas Park in Harlem. Photo by Juan Diego Ramirez.

Fitgi’s installations have inspired countless people in her community, but she strongly advised the artists looking to follow in her footsteps. 

“Your experience is not as individual as you believe it to be. The things that you appreciate, the things that you might be scared of or hurt from, actually resonate with a lot of others.
So understand that what you create has an impact, and it will live on, hopefully, it’s preserved beyond your time here,” she said.