Lewinale Havette

Palo Gallery presents Mami Wata: The Story of Migration, Religion, and Identity, a solo exhibition of recent paintings by Lewinale Havette, curated in partnership with Cierra Britton Gallery.

In her debut solo show in New York City, Havette explores the intricate connections between African spirituality, migration, and female identity amid displacement. The exhibition takes its name from Mami Wata, a revered deity representing the transformative power and healing energy of water. Originating from pidgin English, Mami Wata embodies the blending of diverse cultural influences. Celebrated globally, this deity's symbolism transcends geographical boundaries, telling a story of resilience and adaptation during cultural transitions and migrations.

Havette's new body of work, including sixteen paintings and an installation piece, delves into themes of belonging, resilience, identity, religion, displacement, and power dynamics. Through these works, she highlights narratives of female empowerment and the quest for spiritual and cultural grounding.

By intertwining the stories of Mami Wata, the Sibyls, and her own experiences, Havette reveals the enduring strength of female spirituality and the relevance of ancient wisdom in shaping modern understandings of identity and belonging in a globalized world. Through portraiture, narrative, and iconography, Havette invites viewers to reflect on these themes.

Lewinale Havette (b. 1990) is a painter whose work intricately explores suppressed indigenous spirituality and the impact of migration on female identities. Her practice combines abstract painting with portraiture to offer insight into the physical and spiritual dimensions of migrant experiences. Through her diverse use of materials—such as pencils, ink sticks, ink, acrylics, photography, and carbon paint—she captures a wide range of emotional and spiritual states, revealing the complex layers of her subjects' lives.