FLUSHING — More than 400 paintings, sculptures, photography and art depicting scenes from the Caribbean will go on display this week at three different museums around the city: The Queens Museum of Art, El Museo del Barrio and The Studio Museum of Harlem.
The works, spanning more than 200 years, are part of the celebration of Caribbean-American Heritage Month observed nationally in June. The roster of participating artists include Janine Antoni, John James Audubon, Jean-Michel Basquiat, among others.
Titled "CARIBBEAN: Crossroads of the World," the multi-venue exhibition will highlight several rarely-seen works from the Islands and aims to chronicle the massive changes seen in the area since the late 18th century.
“For the first time ever, this project will examine the impact of Africa, South Asia and Europe on the visual culture of the Caribbean,” said Elvis Fuentes, the project director of the exhibition, which has been in the works since 2006.
The Queens Museum of Art will showcase works under the themes “Kingdoms of the World” and “Fluid Motions.”
Works will explore the complexities of life in the tiny islands, which are crisscrossed by trade routes and visited for centuries by Spanish, English and Dutch ships.
The art will also showcase the variety of languages, cultures and religions in the area that has given birth to its own unique blend of music, dance and art.
Tom Finkelpearl, the Executive Director of the Queens Museum of Art said the vibrancy of the exhibition mirrored everyday life in the boroughs, adding the themes of the show spoke “as much to the Caribbean of the past centuries, as they do to the ever changing diaspora that we experience everyday in Queens.”
Films, concerts, dance performances and literary readings will also accompany the art show.
The exhibition will be on display at the Queens Museum of Art starting June 17 and will run through January 6, 2013. The exhibition will also be featured at El Museo del Barrio from June 12 - Jan 6. 2013, and the Studio Museum in Harlem from June 14 - Oct. 21, 2012.
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