International Cultural Exchange – Barbados
(Miami, Florida) Feb. 1st - Wednesday May 4th to Monday
May 9th, Queen’s Park Gallery, Queen’s Park, Bridgetown, St. Michael, Barbados
will be hosting an International Cultural Exchange (ICE), in association with The National
Cultural Foundation (NCF), The Arts Council England and Diaspora
Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator of Miami, Florida. This is a unique experience, in
which artists from diverse backgrounds, working in various media, converge to
explore the concept of 'cultural diaspora', intellectually, and
creatively. This is the 13th exchange
organized by Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, but is the first for
Barbados, as host country.
“Some-where | No-where” You Can Live in Paradise Forever, is an exhibition curated by Rosie
Gordon-Wallace in Miami and is made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor, and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners.
Gordon-Wallace’s approach is embedded in the artist’s
sensuality, proving that it is possible to disseminate a clearly political
message without sacrificing the beauty and subtlety of the work. This action
does not refer to any direct political action, it is more like an aesthetic
intervention that permeates between social and private; examining the images
that most travelers imagine when asked to visualize images that remind them of
the Caribbean islands. Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator has worked with
contemporary Caribbean artists for the past fourteen years pushing the envelope
of images created in the Diaspora and the islands. However, we have not been a
trendsetter in showing rich, textured and varied cultural traditions and
artistic talents in celebrating these traditional images. By virtue of the
concentration of this genre of work being created by artists in the South
Florida area and the islands, it reinforces the importance and the need to
support its creation.
The exhibition provides a unique opportunity to assess
the influence of globalization on the compositions of our contemporary artists
working as they do in the United States and England, an environment shaped by
the intersection of multiple and different cultures. Looking at the body of
work presented in this exhibition, it is possible to obtain a valuable
perspective on the direction of the work of our artists in the Diaspora.
Lastly, by bringing together the participating artists with audiences from the
art and culture community, key government officials and Consular
representatives, members of international organizations interested in this
area, the exhibition creates an opportunity for a seminal dialogue on ways of
appreciating work from the Caribbean and perhaps a different interpretation of
placement of this work.
The artists selected to exhibit in this one-month expo have all been engaged in the dialog of what the definition of Caribbean Art is. Many of these artists were not born in the region, some have parents from the region and several are practioners of the process of "cross-fertilization in the quest for identity and certitude" described by Professor Rex Nettleford. Artists will travel from the United Kingdom, Miami, New York, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.
This exhibition partners with Urbanflo, www.urbanflo.com a
socially engaged collective of arts professionals who share a vision of
equality and excellence in the cultural sector. We specialize in participatory
and inclusive initiatives, offering expert advice and creative support to
individuals, groups and organizations.
Artists: Alejandro Contreras, Carlos Alejandro, Jean
Chiang, Danny Ramirez, Jacquenette Arnette, Wura Ogunji, Patricia
Roldan, Rodney Jackson, Selina Roman, Teri Richardson, Jenni
Lewin-Turner, Carol Campbell.
