Caribbean Linked II: Artist Residency Programme and Exhibition

August 12, 2013May 20, 20151 Comment

Ateliers ’89 Foundation and the Mondriaan Foundation in collaboration with ARC Inc. and The Fresh Milk Art Platform Inc. present CARIBBEAN LINKED II, a residency programme and exhibition which will take place from August 25th through September 6th, 2013 in Oranjestad, Aruba.

Invited Artists include: Omar Kuwas (Curaçao), Veronica Dorsett (The Bahamas), Mark King (Barbados), Shirley Rufin (Martinique), Sofia Maldonado (Puerto Rico/US), Dhiradj Ramsamoedj (Suriname), Rodell Warner (Trinidad and Tobago), Robin de Vogel, Kevin Schuit and Germille Geerman (Aruba). The selected artists were chosen collaboratively by Annalee Davis, Holly Bynoe and Elvis Lopez.

Caribbean Linked II will be held in association with Studio O, Terafuse, Museo Arqueologico Arubano, UNOCA, San Nicolas TV, Departamento di Cultura, SVE TV, Alydia Wever Theatre Dance Company and Gang di Arte Aruba.

Most popular through Facebook and social media platforms, to be linked or to be connected is the world’s most common way to be associated right now. This residency and exhibition will present young talent while raising issues of their collective futures by discussing the survival of artists, and the sustainability of local creative communities that nurture their development and maintain their connectivity. This residency becomes a crucial space for building awareness across disparate creative communities in the Caribbean and its diaspora by finding ways to connect young and emerging artists with each other. Selected participants will engage in two weeks of open discussion and critiques, various professional workshops, visit established local artists’ studios and better understand the creative cultural industries that propel Aruban art. An exhibition of work produced during the residency will be displayed at Ateliers ’89 and will open on September 5^th.

Collaborating local artists include Alydia Wever, Ciro Abath, Evelino Fingal, Glenda Heyliger, John Freddy Montoya, Marian Abath, Nelson Gonzales, Osaira Muyale and Ryan Oduber. Collaborating partner professionals and institutions include Vivi Ruiz of the Archaeology Museum of Aruba, Lupita Giel of UNOCA and Siegfried Dumfries of the Department of Culture.

Participating institutions include:

ARC Magazine

ARC Magazine is a non-profit print and online publication and social platform founded in 2011. It seeks to fill a certain void by offering a critical space for contemporary artists to present their work while fostering and developing critical dialogues and opportunities for crucial points of exchange. ARC is an online and social space of interaction with a developed methodology of sharing information about contemporary practices, exhibitions, partnerships, and opportunities occurring in the Caribbean region and throughout its diasporas. ARC’s mission is to build awareness by fostering exchanges and opportunities that expand creative culture, within the visual arts industry across the wider Caribbean and its diasporas.

Fresh Milk

The Fresh Milk Art Platform Inc. is a Caribbean non-profit, artist-led, inter-disciplinary organization that supports creatives and promotes wise social, economic, and environmental stewardship through creative engagement with society and by cultivating excellence in the arts. The idea for Fresh Milk developed over years of conversations with other practicing artists around the need for artistic engagement amongst contemporary practitioners living and working in Barbados, with an expressed need to strengthen links with the region and the diaspora. Fresh Milk bridges the divides between creative disciplines, generations of creatives, and works across all linguistic territories in the region – functioning as a cultural lab, constantly redefining itself. The platform transforms into a gathering space for contemporary creatives who are thirsty to debate ideas and share works through local and international residencies, lectures, screenings, workshops, exhibitions, projects etc.

Ateliers ‘89

The Foundation ‘Ateliers ’89’ offers Arubans and others interested from the Caribbean region an orientation on contemporary applied art and design. Workshops in different disciplines as painting, installations, video-art, photography, drawing, fashion, theatrical-design, ceramics, animation, graphic design and history of art are organized in a spacious, open and comfortable setting. Established foreign and local artist teach at the studio’s. Every workshop culminates in an exhibition which is open to the public. Furthermore, there are special workshops and tours of the exhibitions for children and young students. Ateliers ’89 works in close cooperation with a number of art academies in the Netherlands. This way, young talents who started off in the workshops of Ateliers ’89 can easily find their way to a Dutch academy.

FRESH MILK XII

June 27, 2013May 20, 20151 Comment

FRESH MILK XII, our last major event before we close for the summer months of July and August, took place last week Thursday June 20th. Our twelfth event featured resident artists from Boston, USA, singer-songwriter & social activist Shea Rose and nonfiction creative writer & photographer Sasha Link.

Sasha Link gave an overview of the “Duality of Gift-Giving” creative writing workshop she presented at Workman’s Primary School in St. George, while Shea presented three musical compositions: “Time (I Move On)” filmed by Sky Larc and Neil Marshall and performed with Operation Triple Threat (including Vocalist and OTT Director Janelle Headley-Newton, OTT Choreographer Tara Jane Herbert, Percussionist Richard “Salief” Smith and OTT students Johari Taitt, Kwasi Perry and Charlene Morris); “Pretty Girl” performed with Nexcyx; and “Mirror” in collaboration with Adrian Green.

Thanks so much to Shea and Sasha; we hope you enjoyed your time with us in Barbados! And special thanks to the US Embassy for supporting the residency and making it possible.

Photographs by Mark King

Sasha Link's story board on her first workshop at Workman's Primary School

Sales table, with Mark King's poster in promotion of his upcoming book for his photography series 'Plastic'

Screening of the music video for Shea's song 'Time,' shot and edited by Sky Larc

Adrian Green and Shea Rose's spoken word performance

Shea Rose performing her spoken word piece

Katherine Felix asking a question in the Q&A session

Sasha Link and Shea Rose at Workman’s Primary School

June 26, 2013May 20, 2015Leave a comment

On Thursday, June 20th Fresh Milk resident artists Sasha Link and Shea Rose visited Workman’s Primary School in St. George. Sasha presented a creative writing workshop to the Class 4 children titled ‘The Duality of Gift-Giving,’ pictures from which can be seen in the gallery below. Sasha and Shea also went into St. George Primary School and St. George Secondary School on the following day, and the sessions were thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Thanks very much to Sasha and Shea, and to all of the schools for having us there!

Photographs by Mark King

Annalee Davis introducing Shea and Sasha

Shea Rose and Sasha Link making their presentation

Sasha Link’s Residency: Week 1 Report

June 21, 2013May 20, 2015Leave a comment

Exploring Dreams

Dreams aren’t written in black and white; they manifest themselves in a variety of colors. They take shape and form in various sizes. Dreams build walls of hope that lend inspiration to all who are willing to fly. The letters, “Be true to your dreams” are written in black ink circled around my ring finger. Those words are like an engine roaring, a vehicle to my creative exploration.

Almost a year ago, my dear friend Shea Rose started the process of sketching out the steps she’d take to begin her journey exploring her ancestral roots in Barbados – a land her ancestors lived, worked and walked on. Shea’s vision to return to trace her ancestral roots was intriguing to me, especially considering the way in which our paths have mirrored over the years. I’ve been working on a similar project tracing my maternal and paternal genealogical timeline, with the hope to find the Link to my history. The steps to “finding my voice” as Shea said it, lit our way. Shea’s vision was a dream that opened the door to exploring the concepts of identity, self-acceptance and home. Together we’ll explore the duality of gift-giving abroad.

When we arrived in Barbados on June 10th as International Artists in Residence at the Fresh Milk Art Platform, we were greeted by Annalee Davis, Founder and Director of the organization and residency programme. Our first day we settled in, unpacked and traveled to Lime Grove for dinner and to see spoken-word artist Rebel Glam perform.

The second day we met with Barbadian creatives, the U.S. Embassy and a host of musicians, photographers, videographers and dancers to share the overview of our project, “Exploring Creative Collaboration: Music and Identity” and “The Duality of Gift-Giving.”

By the third day, during our creative collaboration a transference of energy took place. I attribute it to being in the midst of such talented artists, composers, poets, singers, photographers, videographers — listening to the echoes of the percussion, a solid rhythm-thumping, notes on the keyboard joining in unison — music making moments filled with lyrics that tell a story, that hum a tune, that inspire.

Music is a story. I’m listening right now. It’s transformative. My father says it brightens his day, challenges and lights a flame of hope. For me, here in Barbados, I’m dreaming a story that sounds like waves smashing against the algae-painted shore walls. The distant undercurrents are whispering: “You’re not in control.” The music takes over on the platform of Fresh Milk. As it emanates from collaborative voices that surround me, I glance down at notes from my lesson plan for the workshops I’ll be teaching on the duality of gift-giving at three schools here on the island.

I’m here. I’m ready and willing to embrace each strand of knowledge passed down by our ancestors who carved the creative way for our artistic existence. I’ve learned it’s okay to dream and explore. Dreams are written in many shades; they tell stories in various forms. Shea and I are here to walk in our dream and co-inspire the world.

– Sasha

Shea Rose’s Residency: Week 1 Report

June 20, 2013May 20, 2015Leave a comment

It was just over a year ago that I started thinking about how I would begin to explore my ancestral roots in Barbados. My late great aunt Lillian left our family a jewel; a small black and orange paperback book bound with rope, filled with journal entries from my great-grandmother Edwina Yearwood and her father (my great, great-grandfather) Edward Yearwood.

It certainly would have been easy enough to center a trip to Barbados around documents and paper, but the more I started to investigate the yearning to return to my ancestral roots, I realized that I was looking for more than names, dates and birth certificates. I was in search of finding my own voice in the echoes of my family lineage. I mapped out a plan and I wanted music to be the vehicle in which to tell the story of my self investigation and exploration.

Once I discovered, applied and was accepted to the Fresh Milk International Artist and Residency in Barbados, I knew I had a safe and trust-worthy platform to express my truth and collaborate with artists of various disciplines who are searching too.

Before I continue, I must add, that my best friend Sasha Link, a non-fiction creative writer accompanied me on this life changing journey. During her residency here at Fresh Milk she is creating lesson plans to present to primary and secondary schools in Barbados. She is exploring the duality of gift-giving.

I decided to center my musical compositions on three themes: identity, self-acceptance and home.

Below are reflections, thoughts, prose and visuals around the three themes, complied during the first week of my residency:

Identity: How do you know you?

Home: “Keeping Things Whole” by Mark Strand

This is one of my favorite poems. It gives me the courage to race into the light, accept change, embrace my destiny and feel that no matter how high I fly, there is always home, a place of comfort, where I can land with my feet firmly on the ground.

"...there is always home, a place of comfort, where I can land with my feet firmly on the ground."

Keeping Things Whole

By Mark Strand

In a field
I am the absence
of field.
This is
always the case.
Wherever I am
I am what is missing.
When I walk
I part the air
and always
the air moves in
to fill the spaces
where my body’s been.
We all have reasons
for moving.
I move to keep things whole.

Self-Acceptance: The weight of its conception spilling over into the noisy abyss yearning for a space to embrace the lore of its perfect design

Each theme is a collaboration of various creative disciplines.

Below are photos of our collaborative workdays.

Identity: Adrian Green (Spoken-word Artist)

Barbadian spoken word artist Adrian Green and Shea Rose

My initial sketch of the “Identity” performance set w/ Barbadian spoken-word artist Adrian Green.

He says his work has been described as controversial because he addresses themes such a race and politics that aren’t openly discussed in the conservative Barbadian society.

I decided to incorporate standing mirrors into our performance.

The mirrors represent: reflection, confrontation, acceptance, rejection and illusion

Adrian Green will be the first ever male spoken-word artist that I’ve collaborated with allowing this exploration of identity to not only cross culture, but gender as well – he from Barbados, I from Boston.

The delivery of the spoken-word pieces will be directed at the mirror and other times, Adrian and I will be facing each other.

Home: Sky Larc (Filmmaker) Janelle Headley, Vocalist and Operation Triple Threat (OTT) Director, Tara Jane Herbert (OTT Choreographer and Director of Ascending Stars) OTT students Johari Taitt, Kwasi Perry and Charlene Morris

Barbadian filmmaker Sky Larc working with Shea and Sasha

Shea with members of Barbadian arts group Operation Triple Threat

Self-Acceptance: Nexcyx Band

For this collaboration I brought in an original song entitled, “Pretty Girls” that I started writing back and Boston. Mahalia, the lead singer from Nexcyx wrote a second verse to compliment my first verse.