2nd Ghetto Biennale 2011

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ARCHIVED WORK OF PARTICIPATING ARTISTS & SCHOLARS

Kendra Frorup

I create artwork that is reflective of whom I am. As an artist who grew up in the Caribbean, I have always been interested in the influences of culture on expression. The current research that I am undertaking is an investigation of the contributing influences on and within the Caribbean culture.

I was fortunate to travel to Haiti with the support of the University of Tampa through a travel grant. My proposal was to collect stories, dreams and tales of nature, life stages, magic and the subconscious from other artists and citizens of Haiti and create visual forms of what I learned. Specifically, I would make paper on site in Port-au-Prince through conventional papermaking methods and utilize local materials, Scratch. When I arrived in Haiti, I found the images that I had seen of Haiti were all so real. It was as if the earthquake happened just the month before. I was overwhelmed by the physical, chaotic environment and tried to strategize on how I would collect materials and create a workspace. Immediately, I realized it was so unrealistic and not practical to make paper due to the lack of a running water supply.

As I reflected and panicked after my first day in Haiti, I was overwhelmed by the beautiful and familiar smell of burning wood and the constant choir of roosters and hens. I knew these sounds oh, so well. My senses were heightened, my focus was different. I would not only collect stories, I would mimic the sounds and smells. In the days following I would mingle with the Haitian Artist Resistance, hop in Tap Taps, visit and record the sounds of the local markets and –evoke the spirits of the Voodou ceremony. I adopted a son, Racine, one of the young members of the Artist Resistance; who would take me around Haiti like a local. I was living up to my name "The Collector" as I soon amassed local objects.

I crafted these bits and pieces into work that was an immediate response to what I had experienced since I had arrived. Hen and Cock I is a sculpture of hens and roosters molded in wax and installed with a recording of the live hens and roosters roaming capitol city. This exemplified the soundtrack of the city.

I also molded the hands of the Ogru priest Papa Da in cerulean blue voodou candle wax. I draped the cast hands liberally with bone fide voodou beads hanging from the bony fingers. The aura of the piece recalled the eerie, uncanny and unpredictable passion of the voudoo ceremony, which I experienced while in Port-au-Prince. I installed this work over the door of the studio so the viewer would have to interact with the beads as they entered the room.

I shared a studio with Jean-Claude Saint Luis, a member of the Atis Rezistans and a sculptor of the Grand Rue in Haiti. I felt that I could relate to him, as he was a "collector" of people and of objects also.

I feel that I want to go back to Port-Au-Prince. As the experience of being there became a part of who I am, I also feel that I became a part of Haiti.