Gallery of Caribbean Art, Speightstown, Barbados

Artist' Statement

In Defense of the Beautiful

Contemporary Art is moved through a world-wide schedule of art fairs and biennales highly constructed by an establishment that designates its stars, who are rewarded by high price tags on works of questionable expression. These products may or may not stand the test of time when price and value would come into equilibrium.

The artists of the English-speaking Caribbean islands are largely ignored in the rarefied air of this art activity. Few of these artists have been able to step on to the stage of international recognition, to have their works seen or sold at these events. There are a host of reasons for this, but partially responsible is the very strong connection to and representation of the natural environment.

When a curator from North America or Europe looks at a landscape depicting the beauty of our islands, usually the work is dismissed as “kitsch” or art made as a souvenir for quick tourist sales. True, there is much that is sold that is not really art, but repetitive, stylized representation of easily identifiable icons—the palm trees, market ladies or beach scenes. However, for contemporary Caribbean artists to divorce themselves from the natural environment in favour of northern urban subjects, palettes and light is bowing to an establishment that resembles the colonial imperialism of our not too distant past.

High colour and contrast saturate our vision every moment that we look outside. While we live in relative peace, our human issues, our politics, our hopes and aspirations also are strong in contrast and dimension. The “identity search” that purportedly identifies Caribbean contemporary artist is perhaps an imposed ideology.

We know who we are. We are a rich island civilization framed by a synthesis of many peoples and cultures. We are those who have to dig deeply into our personal reserve of inner resources to deal with living in a part of the world where making art isn’t easy or convenient. Creativity springs from this inconvenience. We are not recognized within our own cultural milieu as being important contributors, yet we document our diverse and dynamic society within its achingly beautiful natural environment. And we are a people who faithfully rebuild after that same beauty turns on us in a violent hurricane or earthquake and destroys the work of a lifetime.

So when a Caribbean collector purchases a work of art from “home” he is not just buying something to decorate his walls. He is proclaiming with his dollars that this art work has great value. He is defying the deeply entrenched notion that whatever comes from “away” is intrinsically better than what is produced locally. He is casting his vote of confidence to the further building of this West Indian civilization that in terms of human development is a shining example to the rest of the world.

Therefore, I present this body of work of the beautiful Caribbean, with no apology.

Comments

[Asher Mains]

I think
it's an interesting notion to highlight that art from the Caribbean
with it's bright colors and themes represents a resistance or
departure to the industrial depression of the first world. A European
artist may identify art as angsty because they see a development where
angst comes after the industrial revolution, and after religion, and
after philosophy, in the end to a European it seems like there is an
embodiment of realizing all thats wrong with the world and that is
art.
I think it's a powerful statement even on the level of pulling people
out of this one mode of thinking. As if there is only one stream of
eurocentric art development and that is the only legit stream of
development. As if they ignore the fact that art worlds in Africa and
Asia were developing along at the same time.
If anything, it seems Caribbean art should be heralded in the art
world. It represents a current and authentic representation within an
environment that surpasses the scenery of Monet.
Maybe it's the myth that artists need to reject certain things in
order to really "feel" and in those moments of self-denial, art is
created. In the Caribbean, engaging with the environment is more
advantageous than to disengage. The fullness of art in the Caribbean
is embracing what has been put around us. (To some degree, literally
put around us) That isn't a cheap or inauthentic position considering
the 400 years of oppression that preceded the ability to embrace what
has been put around us.
Yeah, I like it - just got the wheels turning. Makes me feel better
about what I do :)

[Marie]

I certainly feel the way you do about the "Art World". Also the pleasures and the difficulties of working as artists in the Caribbean. Although I could not have put it as eloquently.

Your statement will I am sure make people think and there will be lots of nods of agreement.

Hope everything goes brilliantly for you and Asher with your forthcoming show.


Kind Regards,

Marie