Carl Craig Releases Painting of Triumph To Tragedy Book Six
Miami, FL - September 18, 2025
By: Carl & Marie-Donald Manigat Craig
THE INVISIBLE HANDS
OF POVERTY
Featuring the National Birds and Flowers of Western and Eastern Hispaniola
Borrowing from Adam Smith’s concept of the “invisible hand,” this painting reinterprets the idea to expose the darker forces at work within society—specifically the corrosive effects of corruption and systemic poverty. At the heart of the composition are the national birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti—the Palmchat and the Hispaniolan Trogon—symbols of cultural identity and resilience. Both birds clutch an olive branch, a universal emblem of peace, as they struggle to soar above fertile tropical mountains.
Yet from below, distorted and grasping human hands—representing corruption, failed governance, and ill-fated politics—reach upward to pull them down. Overhead, dark, swirling clouds symbolize the lingering weight of poverty and instability that blankets the island of Hispaniola.
In contrast, the land below remains lush and alive, with vibrant Yellow Hibiscus and the rare Bayahibe Rose—national flowers of the Dominican Republic and Haiti—emerging from the undergrowth. These blooms hint at the enduring hope for renewal and the natural beauty that persists in spite of hardship.