I ponder week to week to try to understand the obstacles preventing Caribbean art from bursting through this bubble it's in. I ponder because what I see are fantastic Caribbean artists from all corners of the world creating amazing works of art. I see great projects spurning from throughout the Caribbean--in Guadeloupe, Aruba, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Martinique, Cayman Islands, Barbados, Bahamas, and almost everywhere else in the Caribbean, in the United States, Canada, and Europe. I come across superb writings on Caribbean art, incredible intellects, curators, and other art professionals that would turn the art world sideways, upside down, and whatever ways there are. It would be fair to reason that we should be experiencing and enjoying a dynamic market. Instead, I am left dumbfounded as to why we are not further along the path of recognition, acceptance, value or what have you.
It strikes me that the will is there, but there exist a language barrier that must be dealt with. What I find is that the Spanish speaking Caribbean leans towards the Latin American art market, the French speaking Caribbean leans towards the European art market, the English speaking Caribbean leans in several directions, and as for the Deutsch speaking islands, I haven't figured that out yet. Maybe my good friend Stan Kuiperi from Aruba will help me with this.
Another obstacle is the lack of Internet presence of artists, galleries, and museums, which in part is attributed to language again. If I'm searching the "English" Internet, I may have difficulty finding the sites that are in French, Spanish, or Dutch.
There are many other obstacles, but there are solutions to them. To begin to identify solutions to some of the problems facing Caribbean art, I have discussed the idea of a Caribbean artists retreat in Guadeloupe. Klodi Cancelier of Artawak and Pascale Désirée of L’Artgence were supportive of such an initiative and are helping to find sponsors for lodging and meeting place in Guadeloupe. We hope that this retreat will shed light on better ways to work, collaborate, and financially support the various programs that are rooted in the Caribbean and in the Diaspora.
Obstacles present opportunities for creative solutions to clearing them. We should work diligently together to remove them for the benefit of economic and social development.
Sincerely,
Marcel Wah
Publisher
Past Letters
Caribbean Art in Conversation with the World
J.E. Gourgue
Courtesy: K. Halsted
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At Caribbean Art World Magazine, you will find interviews with artists, collectors, curators, gallery owners, and appraisers, as well as critical reviews of art shows.
We will examine important questions such as: What is Caribbean Art? How is it changing the Art World? Why are so many people drawn to it?
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