For today’s episode, we dig into a new exhibition interpreting the history of the Caribbean, and talk about how we can use art to interpret history.
We’re discussing a new exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Fragments of Epic Memory. Fragments of Epic Memory is an exploration of the history and culture of the Caribbean and Caribbean diaspora from the mid-nineteenth century to today. The exhibit combines the use of archival photos from the region—typically reflective of a colonial gaze on the Caribbean and its peoples—with more recent artwork by Caribbean artists challenging these colonial representations. History is at the heart of this art exhibit, and themes including emancipation, migration, colonialism, and Caribbean culture take to the fore. If you’d like to check out Fragments of Epic Memory for yourself, it’ll be open at the AGO in Toronto until February 21, 2022.
To discuss the exhibit with me, I’m joined by Carlie Manners. Carlie is a PhD student at the University of Toronto and an expert in Caribbean history. Her research focuses on Afro-Caribbean religion and material culture. In addition to this expertise, Carlie worked as a research and writing consultant for Fragments of Epic Memory, bringing the podcast a unique insight into the exhibit’s development.
For anyone who would like to learn more about this topic, check out Krista A. Thompson’s An Eye for the Tropics: Tourism, Photography, and Framing the Caribbean Picturesque (Durham: Duke University Press, 2006). In the episode, we also mention Derek Walcott’s The Antilles: Fragments of Epic Memory (New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1993). Walcott is a problematic figure, having been accused of multiple incidents of sexual harassment. I’ve included his work here since it’s especially relevant to this exhibit—it’s the inspiration for and namesake of the exhibit, and provides a great deal of context for understanding the exhibit—but these accusations are important to remember, and including his work here is not an endorsement of his conduct.
--
Podcast logo is made by Instagram.com/nethkaria; intro and outro music by Instagram.com/nelamusica. Follow the show on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/offcampushistory/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/offcampushistory)! You can also email the show at offcampushistory[at]gmail.com.
New Podcast Announcement and Trailer - Listening T.O. History!
Episode 29 - Suburbia’s Past, Present, and Future with Hana Suckstorff
Episode 28 - Chatting about Historical Movies with Kevin Winterhalt
Episode 27 - Nitro and Heritage Minutes with Melanie Ng
Episode 26 - Kimathi at War with Julie MacArthur
Episode 25 - The Founder with Steve Penfold
Episode 24 - Hester Street with Miriam Borden
Episode 23 - The Last of the Mohicans with Jonathan Bayer
Episode 22 - Historical Board Games with Benjamin Hoy
Episode 21 - ’71 with Nick Baker
Episode 20 - Dallas Buyers Club with Elio Colavito
Episode 19 - Making History Podcasts with Sean Graham
Episode 18 - Our Flag Means Death with Chris Baldwin
Episode 17 - Ken Burns’s The National Parks with Jessica DeWitt
Episode 16 - The Revenant with Sam Derksen
Episode 15 - Wonder Woman with Melissa Wing
Episode 14 - The Lighthouse with Kate Bauer
Episode 13 - The Last Dance with Kevin Winterhalt
Episode 12 - Stand! with Nick Fast
Episode 11 - The Green Knight with Morgan Moore
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Irish Songs with Ken Murray
History Obscura
Historycal: Words that Shaped the World
The Rest Is History
Lore