BaselTalk: Art Star Edouard Duval-Carrie Gets Curatorial Over the Caribbean

Folks too often forget the Caribbean consists of more than Cuba and Haiti, and that the Basin’s other countries also boast robust cultures of their own. If artist and curator Edouard Duval-Carrie has his way though, folks won’t be forgetting for too much longer. That’s why the artistic director of the Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance teamed with the Institut Francais to create the Global Caribbean Program, and why the enlightened will be hitting the Little Haiti Cultural Center throughout Basel and beyond.

What, in brief, is the overall theme of Global Caribbean IV? This fourth exhibition of Global Caribbean is entitled French West Indies and Guiana, Focus on the Contemporary Expression, and it presents fourteen contemporary artists of the French Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana).

Who initiated the GC series? The Global Caribbean project is under the umbrella of the French government’s Institut Français’s “Caraïbes en Création” a 5-year program, which was established to promote Caribbean contemporary artistic expression.

Which artists will be representing each respective country? Ano-Eddy Firmin (Guadeloupe), Christian Bertin (Martinique), Ernest Breleur (Martinique), Jean-Marc Hunt (Guadeloupe), Thierry Jarrin (Martinique), Valérie John (Martinique), Louis Laouchez (Martinique), Mirtho Linguet (French Guiana), Christophe Mert (Martinique), Bruno Pédurand (Guadeloupe), Luz Severino (Dominican Republic/ Martinique), Philippe Thomarel (Guadeloupe), Thierry Tian-Sio-Po (French Guiana), and Laurent Valère (Martinique).

Isn’t there also a significant historical component to the exhibit? Yes, accompanying this exhibit is a presentation of the Alan Lomax Archives, kindly put together by Kimberly Green and the Green Family Foundation, which brings forth the extraordinary work of legendary American folklorist Alan Lomax, in particular his material covering the French Antilles. It’s both to establish to assess the particularity of the region through its musical legacy.

In a single sentence, what kinda wow are we talking about here? The exhibit is diverse, vibrant and, if I may say, most impressive!

Global Caribbean IV runs through February 16th,2013 at the Little Haiti Cultural Center. For more information log on here.

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