In 1964, French President Charles de Gaulle visited Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana on official State business. Flying over the Caribbean Sea, de Gaulle described the islands as “dust specks on the sea.” His quote evokes an otherworldly aerial view of the Caribbean archipelago, while also revealing a deep-seated hierarchical perspective of the region, stemming from France’s history as a powerful colonizing force in the Caribbean. “Dust Specks on the Sea” challenges this colonial perception.
Presented by 516 ARTS and Hunter East Harlem Gallery and curated by Arden Sherman with Marie Vickles and Katie Hood Morgan, this traveling exhibition features sculptural works by 27 artists from Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, and Haiti. It presents various approaches to subject matter, materials, and process that speak to contemporary practices by artists of this region, evincing their participation in a globalized art world and putting pressure on who is at its “center” and who is on its “periphery.”
