The Consul General of France in Miami Honors Bakehouse Board Member and Executive Director for Their Contributions to French Cultural Heritage
On November 17, 2023, Bakehouse Board member, artist, and scholar Edouard Duval-Carrié and Executive Director Cathy Leff were awarded the Medal of the “Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” by the Honorable Raphael Trapp, Consul General of France in Miami. This designation is among the highest civil honors bestowed by the French Republic, recognizing individuals for their contributions to French arts, culture, and heritage.
Duval-Carrié, a Haitian-American artist whose talent is recognized internationally, serves as an example for many artists in the French overseas territories. He maintains close contact with the Caribbean artistic and intellectual network, associating himself with his Borderless Caribbean exhibition projects and, for three years, the Festival du Tout-Monde in Miami. His works, infused with Haitian history and voodoo practices, are present in numerous public and private collections in the United States and Martinique. Having been a “Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” since 2015, Mr. Duval-Carrié was recently promoted to the rank of officer.
Leff directed The Wolfsonian-FIlorida International University for 18 years, overseeing its vast collection of objects, rare books, and archives, which provide opportunities for fostering research and appreciation of the persuasive power of modern art and design. She facilitated the transition of the private collection of Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. into the public domain, leading its gifting to the State of Florida university system and guiding its growth into an acclaimed international museum and research center. At The Wolfsonian, she developed several projects and collaborations dedicated to promoting a deeper appreciation of French design, social and cultural history, along with a focus on contemporary art and design. Notably, she co-curated the project "Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity" with matali crasset, M/M Paris, and Alexandra Midal, inaugurated in 2011 during Art Basel Miami, as a result of a multi-year partnership with the CNAP (Centre national des arts plastiques).
In 2018, Leff assumed the role of director of Bakehouse Art Complex, one of the oldest and largest artist-serving organizations in Miami. She contributed significantly to transforming the institution programmatically and physically to accommodate the needs of contemporary art practitioners. Currently, the organization is planning the renovation of its almost 100-year-old former industrial bakery building for contemporary art making and intends to add affordable housing for artists and others to its 2.3-acre site. Leff is a leading figure for the Villa Albertine in Miami, which she helped launch in 2021, and she is involved in numerous agreements and partnerships with French institutions, including the Cité internationale des arts.
