Brooklyn Museum shows Art of the Caribbean

Foot in the door - How to trick your audience

The current exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, New York is showcasing upcoming contemporary artists from the Caribbean. Curated by Tumelo Mosaka, the theme is based on artists who best represent the region. Entitled, Infinite Island, the exhibition is of forty six artists, and their work full the upper floors of the Morris A. and Meyer Schapiro Wing.

Contemporary Caribbean Art is difficult to define as Contemporary Art lends itself to interpretation to those who lack a reference point. There is the general consensus that it has become gimmicky and contemporary artists are using every attempt to justify the quality of their work by attaching some sort of relevancy in its meaning, hence, a table is a table or the platform to address a subject of cohesive matter.....

For a younger audience, this may enlighten the very aspect that in Art, anything goes as long as debate over its theoretical backing exists. Yet, a table, objects, installations, branding, technical drawings leave less to the imagination. Based on the Exhibition Catalogue, this is a quick walk through, no stopping, no intrigued, and sadly no heart. Contemporary Art is dead or just too sterile to evoke any emotion. How much more can the audience except this as art depending on their taste, if that matters at all.

Above, from the Catalogue, Trinidadian Steve Ouditt , a poor reproduction of an installation which may not be the work exhibited as with a number of plates seen in the book. Mr. Ouditt used a series of graphic based iconography as call cards to reflect the political status of Trinidad and Tobago.

Primarily, Infinite Island, touched on the globalisation of American culture, the rituals of religion still practiced in the Caribbean and hinted on the flirtation of sexually. Infinite Island, August 31, 2007 till January 27, 2008 Brooklyn Museum, New York.

To the left, Authentic Caribbean Art from Trinidad and Tobago. A sculpture made out of bamboo for the Divali celebrations in 2007. The helicopter is used as a surveillance device. On the 31st of December 2007, it was used to enjoy the New Year's fireworks.