Little Haiti Cultural Center

Little Haiti Cultural Complex and the Tout-Monde Festival present the exhibition Dust Specks on the Sea: Contemporary Sculpture from the French Caribbean & Haiti March 7 – April 25, 2020 at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex – Miami, Florida.

Exhibiting artists:
Mathieu Kleyebe Abonnenc, Raphaël Barontini, Sylvia Berté, Julie Bessard, Hervé Beuze, Jean-François Boclé, Alex Burke, Vladimir Cybil Charlier, Gaëlle Choisne, Ronald Cyrille, Jean-Ulrick Désert, Kenny Dunkan, Edouard Duval-Carrié, Adler Guerrier, Jean-Marc Hunt, Nathalie Leroy-Fiévée, Audry Liseron-Monfils, Louisa Marajo, Ricardo Ozier-Lafontaine, Jérémie Paul, Marielle Plaisir, Michelle Lisa Polissaint & Najja Moon, Tabita Rezaire, Yoan Sorin, Jude Papaloko Thegenus, Kira Tippenhauer.

Dust Specks on the Sea focuses on sculptural works by over a dozen contemporary artists from Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, and Haiti and addresses the various positionings of the postcolonial condition in this region. The exhibition’s title—Dust Specks on the Sea—is derived from a quote by former French President Charles de Gaulle, describing his view of the French Caribbean islands from an airplane in 1964. De Gaulle’s description speaks to the almost otherworldly mystery of an aerial view of the Caribbean archipelago, while at the same time calling into question a deep-seated hierarchical perspective stemming from France’s history as a powerful colonizing force in the Caribbean. In 1902 the eruption of the volcano Mount Pelée on the island of Martinique, destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre, killing approximately 30,000 people in a matter of minutes. Poignant photographic images of the “worst volcanic disaster of the early 20th century” show the volcano’s dusty plume looming above the sparkling waters of the Caribbean; these visual documents allude to the complex and loaded sentiments of de Gaulle’s quote—the duality of perspective. The French Caribbean cannot be defined solely by its beauty nor by its historical trauma; through this exhibition, we aim to contribute to a contemporary, multi-layered understanding of this region.

This exhibition was generated by Hunter East Harlem Gallery at Hunter College in New York City, an institution dedicated to creating projects that build on the complicated circumstances of being a human in today’s world and bolstering the voices of creative people and thinkers. Through presenting a sculpture-based exhibition in a distinctive way—in many cases, the artworks will physically interact with one another, we hope to build a visual dialogue about how artwork can be one of the most powerful tools for personal and political expression. The second iteration of this exhibition will take place at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, located in the heart of Miami in the historically recognized “Ti Ayiti” (Little Haiti) neighborhood. The mission of the Little Haiti Cultural Complex is to present and preserve Afro-Caribbean culture, train the next generation of leaders while leveraging arts and culture as tools for transformation and community building.

Dust Specks on the Sea: Contemporary Sculpture from the French Caribbean & Haiti is curated by Arden Sherman with curatorial assistance by Marie Vickles and Katie Hood Morgan. The exhibition is made possible from support generously provided by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States and Hunter College. Additional sponsorship provided by the Directions of Cultural Affairs of Martinique and of Guadeloupe. Generous support for the artwork Bananas Deluxe, by Jean-Marc Hunt, has been provided by Chiquita Brands. Tabita Rezaire’s artwork, Peaceful Warrior, was made possible by a loan from John Speier of The Crystal Cave Rock & Gem Shop, Davie, FL.

Public Programs & Gallery Hours:
March 7, 2020: Opening Reception and Tour with Artists, 3-7pm
March 7 – April 25, 2020: Exhibition open to the public
Monday – Friday, 10am – 8pm
Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Sundays, Closed

Organizing Institution: Hunter East Harlem Gallery: Hunter East Harlem Gallery is a multidisciplinary space for art exhibitions and socially-minded projects. Located on the ground floor of Hunter College’s Silberman School of Social Work at 119th Street and 3rd Avenue, the gallery presents exhibitions and public events that foster academic collaborations at Hunter College while addressing subjects relevant to the East Harlem community and greater New York City. The gallery seeks to initiate partnerships with publicly-oriented organizations and focuses on showcasing artists who are engaging in social practice, public interventions, community projects, and alternative forms of public art. Since its inception in 2011, all exhibitions and programs at Hunter East Harlem Gallery have been and remain free and open to the public. www.huntereastharlemgallery.org

Hosting Institution: Gallery at Little Haiti Cultural Complex in collaboration with the Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance: The Little Haiti Cultural Complex (LHCC) offers a unique opportunity for residents and visitors to gain exposure to Afro-Caribbean culture, expand their knowledge of the arts and develop new talents. Since 2006, the complex has been committed to fostering imagination, creativity, and positive experiences for visitors year-round. The mission of the City of Miami’s Little Haiti Cultural Complex is to present and preserve Afro-Caribbean cultures‚ inspire the next generation of leaders and leverage arts and culture as tools for transformation and community building. The LHCC is a cultural hub, where the community can create dialogue and collaborate towards building an equitable reality for Afro-Caribbeans and their descendants. www.littlehaiticulturalcenter.com

The Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance (Alyans Atizay Ayisyen,Inc.) was founded in 1994 as a nonprofit, 501(c)3 tax- exempt organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Afro-Caribbean culture, with a focus on Haiti, for the benefit and enrichment of the local community. It is HCAA’s objective to become a one-stop information, recreation, and research center for Afro-Caribbean history and art enthusiasts that contributes to develop a strong sense of community awareness, individual pride, self-worth, commitment, and involvement in the Afro-Caribbean community of Miami. HCAA invites you to join and support our organization so that through our joint endeavors we continue to achieve this objective. The Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance (Alyans Atizay Ayisyen,Inc.) is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Afro-Caribbean culture, with a focus on Haiti, for the benefit and enrichment of the local community. www.haitianculturalartsalliance.org

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