Hertz Nazaire

Hertz Nazaire (October 2, 1973 - October 21, 2021) was a Haitian-American visual artist, writer, and advocate known for his mixed-media work exploring the lived experience of sickle cell disease, Black identity, and social justice. As a person living with sickle cell disease, Nazaire became a prominent voice in health equity and patient advocacy through his artistic and public engagement work. His "Sickle Cell Series" has been featured in medical publications He died of sickle cell disease complications at age 48 on October 21, 2021.

Early Life and Education

Hertz Nazaire was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 1973 to Yvesrose Nazaire. He lived with his godmother until the age of 18 when he became homeless for eight months. He went on to the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and University of Bridgeport but did not complete his studies due to complications of his illness emotional intensity, and themes of pain, resilience, race, and identity. He described his path to painting as an inevitable response to a lifetime of living with pain. "Even when my work has nothing to do with sickle cell, pain is always in my paintings". He identified as a "Sickle Cell Warrior" in a constant battle with the symptoms of his disease. in 2017.

His "Sickle Cell Series" has been used in education materials internationally including on the cover of the McGraw-Hill textbook, "Sickle Cell Disease".

His "Waiting Room Project" installation, completed in 2021, features three chairs decorated with images from his "Sickle Cell Series", representing the long waits that people living with sicke cell disease often face in emergency departments.

Advocacy and Public Engagement

In addition to his art, Nazaire was an outspoken advocate for people living with invisible illnesses, especially sickle cell disease. He used his platform to raise awareness, combat stigma, and advocate for better access to care.

Recognition

Nazaire's work has been featured in art exhibitions and medical education initiatives. He was widely respected in the sickle cell community for his ability to use his own experiences to advocate for systemic change. He was a semi-finalist for the Holman Prize for Blind Ambition in 2023- 2024 by the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. It has also been featured in an augmented reality exhibit entitled, "Mr. Nobody Cares AR Exhibit" by 3 Apples High.

Nazaire’s work continues to inspire other artists and activists living with chronic illness to use their work as a medium for education and advocacy.