{"id":661,"date":"2024-04-09T16:52:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-09T16:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/caribbean-studies\/?page_id=661"},"modified":"2026-02-11T17:09:48","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T17:09:48","slug":"research-blog","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.trincoll.edu\/caribbean-studies\/research-blog\/","title":{"rendered":"Research Blog"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0<\/span>Anthropology major Kathy Miranda (Class of 2024) offers our inaugural blog submission on her spring break fieldwork in Honduras.<\/strong>
\nAll photos were taken by the author.<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Hello everyone! My name is Kathy Miranda. I\u2019m currently a senior studying anthropology on a pre-medical track with interests in health education and public health policy. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As I was thinking about possible topics of research for my honors thesis in spring 2023, I reflected on my experiences as a Honduran and a college student that had led to my personal commitments in how health, illness, and disease are understood, experienced, and informed by cultural, socioeconomic, sociopolitical, religious, and historical influences.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The global pandemic, COVID-19, immediately came to my mind as I observed the ways in which my Honduran family\u2014both extended and immediate\u2014behaved and responded to vaccine mandates, medical information, and restrictions. I noticed a general pattern of distrust, hesitancy, or complete negation. I began to consider the possible sources of their medical knowledge and the range of factors that might impact their medical decision-making. This led me to a larger curiosity of how power and gender manifests within Latino homes, specifically in Honduran homes where religion and patriarchy can historically be major players.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To offer some context, during the height of the pandemic, it was most often my female family members conducting and maintaining contact with family as well as, obtaining and disseminating medical information and remedies to other female family members whereas my male family members were virtually left out of these exchanges. Such interactions reminded me of a saying commonly used to explain the gender performance and the distribution of social roles within Latino culture which states, \u201cLas mujeres son de la casa y los hombre son de la calle\u201d meaning, \u201cWomen are from the home (<\/span>belong to the home<\/span><\/i>) and men are from the street (<\/span>belong to the street<\/span><\/i>). In other words, women traditionally are thought to govern the realm of domesticity and private spaces: the home and those living within the home while men govern public spaces. In context of medical anthropology, the mother then emerges as a major source of influence in the home extending so much so over even the medical decision-making of her adult children.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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With this, I explored the infrastructures of honor, faith, and tradition that upholds and sustains Honduran culture and society.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mothers might direct not only the decision-making but also the bodily autonomy, and identities of their children. Such intergenerational ritualized behavior is often explained through phrases like \u201cthat\u2019s the way it\u2019s always been\u201d. This sacrifice of self can be understood as an exchange of reciprocity, I argue\u2014the mother is expected to sacrifice herself for her children with her children as her life and they in turn recognize this sacrifice and exchange the devotion that they saw modeled to them as children.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A phrase that stuck with me from one of my interviews was, \u201cSiempre, cuando considero y tomo una decisi\u00f3n, pienso en c\u00f3mo se reflejar\u00e1 en mis padres; nunca escuchas que fulano hizo tal y tal; no, siempre es, \u2018escuchastes que hizo el hijo de fulano\u2019\u201d meaning, \u201cAlways, when considering and making a decision I think about how it will reflect on my parents\u2014it\u2019s never, did you hear so and so did this\u2014no, it\u2019s always so and so’s kid did this.\u201d Family connections are inescapable.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Faith could also be a powerful influence. While, in Honduras for fieldwork, I visited a public hospital in which I conducted interviews with medical personnel who described situations in which a patient\u2014usually female\u2014would deny any medical intervention\u2014interpreted as a fear-informed decision by medical staff\u2014out of belief that God would intervene and provide divine healing. Here, one\u2019s agency could be displaced by faith in the process of a patient understanding a medical diagnosis and accepting recommended medical intervention and treatment.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Women, as both patients and caregivers often relied on faith and folk healing in lieu of Western biomedicine. This was often the case when there were gaps in their knowledge and understanding of a prognosis, diagnosis, treatment, or prescription\u2014 especially when women felt disregarded by their medical team.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My ethnographic informants evidenced the ways in which Honduran women might act from a standpoint of suspicion as a protective measure of survival in moments of crisis. Many of my female participants believed their well-being and safety could only be ensured by hypervigilance and alternative practice. Their beliefs permeated in both their own medical decision and their influence on those closest to them in the home.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Though beyond the scope of this blog, individual suspicion of Western biomedical practices arises in response to broader forces of political instability, corruption, impunity, and structural violence in Honduras. Health is often weaponized as a political tool. As one informant commented, \u201cAn uneducated population and a sick population is easier to control.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To conclude, in Honduras, female power exists as a dominant influence in the home over generations and over the bodies and minds of their children. Influence is upheld by tradition, honor, and faith and materialized beyond the home during medical decision-making.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

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Hartford & Beyond: Hip Hop\u2019s Caribbean Roots\/Routes<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In this blog post, Cole Alleyne (Class of 2027) reflects on his personal motivations and experiences connected to his CCS grant-supported project, \u201cRapping, Roots, and Reggae: Celebrating Culture Through Community.\u201d His research interests find their origins in his upbringing in a West Indian household and the Trinity course, \u201cGlobal Hip Hop Cultures\u201d with Professor Seth Markle. Cole conducted ethnographic fieldwork as part of his work organizing Hip Hop salon gatherings in Hartford.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n


\n<\/em><\/strong>The crisp summer air brushes my face as I prepare for a transition. Grinning with excitement as, unbeknownst to the crowd, the sweet, sun kissed vocals of the Jamaican artist Sean Paul are about to get a warm American welcome from the hardcore drums of rapper Busta Rhymes. The acapella cues. I have to time it right. 3, 2, 1. Boom. The crowd starts to clap and move to this unexpected musical combination they have probably never experienced before. It\u2019s at this moment, under the dimly lit streetlights, where the trials and tribulations of people’s everyday lives are temporarily tucked away that we get to see the city anew in, to me, its most ethereal glow.<\/p>\n

Hartford is a city that without a doubt, lives and breathes hip-hop. A nearly 2-hour drive from the Bronx housing project that was the birthplace of this storied art form, Hartford, along with other Connecticut cities like Bridgeport and New Haven, were among the first urban areas, outside of New York, to catch the \u201cHip Hop fever.\u201d Pre-internet, the name of the game was by word of mouth with people pooling whatever they had to come together in the productive community space of the block party. A congregation of Caribbean diasporic energy, artistic invention and community commitment, the block party is a cherished \u201cthird space\u201d that served as the launching pad for many emerging creators who simply showed up with their best mix and kicks to show that their skills reigned supreme. Whether it was MCs on the mic or breakers on the cardboard, the block party became a cultural dojo in which there was no need for a sensei, only a mutual understanding of the importance of pushing the game forward.<\/p>\n

When I first considered how I might contribute to this historical convention of shared wisdom and passion for an ever-evolving artform in Hartford, I was motivated by the level of community interest in and desire for the space of the block party. My research in Urban Studies brought me to not only establish new connections with the Hartford Hip Hop community but to expand my personal definitions of Hip Hop and its relationship to the Caribbean community.<\/p>\n

What was initially envisioned as a series of four educational events has now evolved into a larger, sustained project that is working to bring educators, local entrepreneurs, creatives, and most importantly, the youth of the Greater Hartford region together to engage with Hip Hop as a practice of space-building and knowledge production.<\/p>\n

As a local kid who always had a love for the art of the DJ, I grew up listening to the likes of Jamaican artist, Ragashanti and others on local West Indian radio stations. I always knew that there was a deeper connection between my cultural heritage and America’s number one cultural export: hip-hop. Yet, as I matured into my college years, I observed that there seemed to be a popular disconnection from the traditional and holistic approach to hip-hop that inspired many original Caribbean pioneers to fall in love with the genre. I became interested in recreating the space where Hip Hop culture was born by rejoining its elements: breaking, rapping, the DJ, beatboxing, and graffiti in contemporary urban practice.\"\"<\/p>\n

Initially, it was challenging to get college-aged young adults to share in my enthusiasm as the salon spaces that I was proposing were the opposite of the typical strobe-light scenes more commonly associated with commercial rap that dominates the airwaves today. However, through my own grunt work and regular conversations, as well as utilizing my small but mighty following as a DJ, I began to see people pop out to the parties with a desire to obtain arguably the most crucial element of hip-hop: knowledge. Through the connections predicated on my ethnographic research, I was able to connect these individuals with Hip Hop professionals, who have channeled their love of the art form into becoming Hip Hop educators. Of these people, I found that almost all of them were of Caribbean descent, highlighting how this now very Americanized medium can be acknowledged as a mode to reconnect the second and third generations of Caribbean Americans to some of the genre\u2019s pioneers. By the time September hit, community members old and young were eager to see a continuation of this work, and with the help of Trinity professors as well as a variety of local leaders, I am excited to say that these Hip Hop salons will be continuing in downtown Hartford, furthering the opportunity for me to do more ethnographic research and continue creating spaces for Hip Hop to positively impact future generations. \"\"<\/p>\n

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THE HIP HOP SALON: a communal art experience in downtown hartford<\/strong><\/h4>\n

By Prof. Seth Markle (History and International Studies)<\/em><\/p>\n

Salons are far more than places to get your hair done\u2014they serve as community centers where stories, ideas, and support are shared, fostering connections across generations. For many, especially in Black and immigrant communities, salons preserve cultural traditions while offering a creative space for self-expression and identity affirmation. The Hip Hop Salon<\/em> was created to reflect the salon experience by offering a monthly space for Hartford\u2019s Hip Hop community to get together.<\/p>\n

Co-sponsored by the Center for Caribbean Studies and the Trinity Chapter of Temple of Hip Hop and held in downtown Hartford at the Trinity Innovation Center between October and December, The Hip Hop Salon<\/em> was the brainchild of Hiram Cardona aka Hydro 8SIXTY, a Hartford MC and cultural organizer, and Cole Alleyne aka DJ C-Money \u201827, a Trinity student member of Temple of Hip Hop.<\/p>\n

A Communal Space for Everyone<\/strong><\/h5>\n

What made The Hip Hop Salon<\/em> so unique was its inclusivity. It was not just for Hip hop aficionados or aspiring lyricists; it was for anyone who wanted to tap into the culture and the do-it-yourself ethos that birthed Hip Hop in the South Bronx fifty years ago.<\/p>\n

Of course, the soul of the event was in its rap performances. Local artists such as Hydro 8SIXTY, RAPoet, The Life Giving MC Blessings Divine, Connecti1, Franchize Tha Multytalent, UGODDESS THE POET, Lord Cookz, DreGotTheBlues, Jarelle Kershaw, A. Marquise, Bryan Alfred, Belle, S Type, Action, Monz Finito, Storm Biggaveli, The Gifted Onez (Mz Kim,\u00a0 Jayden, Jayda & Noah), Klokwize, Tang $Sauce, Grimm D, Show Rock, Legume Green, Tru, Arahmis.Wav, Stoned Jones, Yung TurnUp, Isaiah Jeremiiah, Gov Mag, Ren\u00e9e, and Ant, graced the mic, delivering raw bars that ranged from deeply personal to powerfully political.<\/p>\n

The Hip Hop Salon<\/em> wasn\u2019t just about performances. It was also a platform for independent entrepreneurs such as\u200b\u200b Melvin Sotot of 8ight6ixzer0, Nancy Walker, Kim Bridges, Feed the Sol, Energy 33 Packz, and others.They sold everything from streetwear to crystals to natural herbs to handmade jewelry, emphasizing the importance of supporting small, minority-owned businesses while at the same time turning The Hip Hop Salon<\/em> into an economic ecosystem for the community.<\/p>\n

Other highlights included a live podcasting show hosted by Machine Gun Poptart, a video game booth by Izzy, an arts and crafts table, and a chess board set up. And if you just wanted to sit back and listen, you could hear DJ Stealth, DJ Michelle Bee,\u00a0 and DJ C-Money playing a combination of classics and providing boom-bap instrumentals for B-Boys Brandon and Tang $auce. Or you had the option to head into another room to listen to some head noddin\u2019 beats by producers such as GWhiz, Pat’em Down, Band Lord Ease, TwistDown, Finessso, Azuchi, Bashiri, Luis, Delisio, Yung D of Connecticut People Records, 2wo4our, Jayden & Noah THE GIFTED ONEZ, and 2wo4our.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Hip Hop Salon showed and proved that community members of all ages want, need and appreciate spaces where they can engage in hands-on Hip Hop programming! Proof of concept! We came in Peace, with Love, Unity, and Safely Having Fun, that’s why we Hip Hop!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

~ Hydro 8SIXTY<\/em><\/p>\n

One standout moment came in November when the artist Klokwise featured his new music video. Another one happened at the December session when, at the end, everyone in attendance praised the organizing work of Cole, showering praise on a Trinity student from Hartford for helping to open a space for the community.<\/p>\n

Why The Hip Hop Salon Matters<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Events like The Hip Hop Salon<\/em> are more than just gatherings\u2014they are part of a broader cultural movement. It is a reminder of Hip Hop\u2019s roots as a tool for building community, amplifying voices, and resisting isolation. At a time when everyday life can feel overwhelming and fragmented, this monthly event created a space where people from all backgrounds came together to celebrate creativity and connection.Whether you were an emcee, a gamer, a chess player, a dancer, a graffiti writer, a DJ, a producer, a small business owner or just someone looking for a positive vibe, The Hip Hop Salon<\/em> had something for you.<\/p>\n

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Panel Discussion: Hartford Beyond: Hip Hop\u2019s Caribbean Roots\/Routes <\/strong><\/h4>\n

By Prof. Seth Markle (History and International Studies)<\/em><\/p>\n

On November 5, 2024, I organized a panel discussion exploring the meaning and significance of Caribbean history and culture to growth and development of Hip Hop music and culture in the city of Hartford, the United States, and the rest of the world.\u00a0 Scheduled during Hip Hop History Month, a national holiday, the conversation was held at Trinity Library in the 1823 Room and was meant to shine a spotlight on Hartford\u2019s rich Hip Hop history, dating back to the early 1970s.<\/p>\n

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Brother X Lovejoy and Hydro 8SIXTY<\/em><\/p>\n

About 40 students, faculty and staff attended, including students from the Trinity Chapter of Temple of Hip Hop, and from my courses \u201cINTS 358: Global Seminar on Malcolm X\u201d and \u201cFYSM 138: Archiving Hip Hop\u201d, got a chance to hear about a topic that is just beginning to gain national attention in academic discourse: the extent to which Caribbean culture and Caribbean diasporans contributed to the making of Hip Hop music and culture in the United States.<\/p>\n

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Hydro 8SIXTY<\/em><\/p>\n

In tackling this question, I put together a panel consisting of Hartford community leaders who were born and bred on Hip Hop; who gravitated to the culture at a young age, and found a sense of purpose and identity in the face of extreme social and economic pressures. Moderated by Hiram \u201cHydro 8SIXTY\u201d Cardona, a MC and cultural organizer, Brother X Lovejoy, Mz. Kim Bridges, Iran Nazarrio and June Archer shared their personal stories, reflecting on a Hartford of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s and what it meant to be Caribbean in Connecticut. \u00a0Currently, these four Hartford residents are making their imprints as artists, authors, educators, life coaches, and community activists not only in Hartford, but in the greater New England Area.<\/p>\n

It was really an honor to hear their stories and get to learn about a city I\u2019ve been calling home for over 10 years.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mz. Kim Bridges<\/em><\/p>\n

Check out these responses from my students who attended:<\/p>\n

\u201cHip Hop emerged as a powerful medium for cultural recognition among Caribbean and African American communities in places like Hartford. This helped tackle the divisions imposed in the area by white supremacy: as one panelist related, Boricua and Black tobacco-picking workers were deliberately separated from each other by foremen who wanted to divide and conquer.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2013 Alex Cacciato \u201826<\/em><\/p>\n

In this panel, one of the panelists talked about her experiences of being bullied and picked on in school, and how it led her to the powerful medium of hip-hop and writing. Her personal narrative is a testament to the deep connection between art and personal survival.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2013 Nicole Ankrah \u201826<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Mz. Kim (and the other panelists) spoke about all she did for the community, it reminded me of the importance of community support and collective action in activist spaces.\u201d <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

– Claire Schrecengost \u201825<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cBrother X Lovejoy focused on the relationship between hip hop and gang culture in Hartford, explaining how music and fashion were oftenused to assert identity within rival communities.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

-Ben Carley \u201827<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cI found the panel to be very engaging as they discussed what it was like growing up in Hartford as a Puerto Rican, Jamaican, Dominican Republican, etc., and how these cultures might have alienated them at school but also how they were able to mesh these different cultures together and realize they are more alike than they seem.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2013 Quinn McGlame \u201825<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBased on what I heard from the panel, once you really become a part of the Hip Hop scene\u2014which isn\u2019t very gate kept as Mz. Kim works so much with the youth, for example\u2014the community has your back and will answer the phone, or make the call. People go out of their way to help their community members out.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

– Vivian Jacobs-Townsley \u201825<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was interesting to see the tough background that the speakers came from and how they used the lessons they\u2019ve learned to succeed in their respective areas. They\u2019re trying to bring about some kind of positive change in underprivileged and black and brown communities. Although they\u2019re going about it in different ways, the mutual understanding that we must help our fellow people is there.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2013 Jarrell Okorougo \u201826<\/em><\/p>\n

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Iran Nazarrio<\/em><\/p>\n

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Following the Drum: The Gombey Tradition in Bermuda<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Dorothea (Dora) Hast, Ph.D. (Ethnomusicology, Wesleyan University) <\/em><\/p>\n

Visiting Scholar in Residence, Center for Caribbean Studies<\/em><\/p>\n

Visiting Lecturer in Music (Fall 2024)<\/em><\/p>\n

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Warwick Gombeys, Bermuda, January 1, 2025<\/p>\n

Gombey is an Afro-Bermudian street tradition that developed in colonial Bermuda more than two hundred years ago bringing enslaved people of West African, Caribbean and Native American heritage together during the Christmas season.\u00a0 These processions of masked dancers, musicians and followers are historically linked to Christmas traditions on other Caribbean islands colonized by the British, including St. Kitts, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Belize.\u00a0 While suppressed and often ridiculed by the colonial government well into the twentieth century, Gombey performers today are celebrated as national emblems.<\/em><\/p>\n

I began researching the Gombey tradition while vacationing in Bermuda in 2018 with my husband, Stan Scott.\u00a0 As ethnomusicologists, we seek out local music performances and musicians whenever we travel.\u00a0 After seeing and hearing a Gombey group perform on the street in the capital city of Hamilton, we were intrigued by the drumming, dancing and intricate regalias. We stopped in at the Bermuda Government\u2019s Department of Culture the next day to find out more about the tradition. At the end of our informal meeting with the staff, we were invited to attend an upcoming Gombey Festival.\u00a0 I flew to Bermuda that October to participate in the three-day event where I met our future collaborator Irwin Trott, the Director and lead drummer of the Warwick Gombeys and a passionate spokesperson for Gombey culture. We started correspondence and then met up again the following July at the Wampanoag Powwow in Mashpee, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

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Warwick Gombey Dancer Ivan Trott in regalia: Ivan is Irwin\u2019s brother and currently the oldest active dancer in Bermuda. Gombey regalia includes painted masks, high hats, intricately decorated and embroidered capes and several weapons.\u00a0 Here, Ivan is holding a bow and arrow. Bermuda, June 2023.<\/p>\n

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Warwick Gombey Dancer\u2019s Cape, January 2025<\/p>\n

At this time, Stan and I were both surprised to learn that the Gombey tradition has roots close to our home in Connecticut. The relationship began in the seventeenth century, which marked the rise of British emigration and its accompanying evil, the Atlantic slave trade that brought enslaved Africans, West Indians and Native Americans to Bermuda. Native peoples, including the Pequots from Connecticut, the Narragansetts from Rhode Island and the Wampanoags from Massachusetts, were enslaved and shipped from our region after the Pequot War (1636-38) and the King Phillips War (1675-76). A reconnection of Bermudians with their Native cousins took place three centuries later in 2002 when a delegation of members from these three tribal nations traveled to Bermuda.\u00a0 Since that initial reconnection, there has been a concerted effort to revive Native awareness in Bermuda and to encourage and promote travel and the sharing of cultural traditions at annual Powwows, both in New England and in Bermuda. Irwin has been a strong cultural advocate, bringing the Warwick Gombeys to many Powwows in Connecticut and Massachusetts over the years, including last year\u2019s Schemitzun (Festival of Green Corn) hosted by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (https:\/\/www.schemitzun.com\/<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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Warwick Gombey Drummers at the Mashantucket Pequot Schemitzun, Connecticut, August 2024<\/p>\n

After attending the Mashpee Wampanoag Powwow in 2019 and conducting two more research trips to Bermuda before the pandemic, we became interested in working on a collaborative book project that would focus on the interplay of music and dance while examining issues of identity, resistance and nationalism over time. Stan and I were fortunate that Irwin wanted to partner with us. As a Gombey insider, he has directed his own troupe for the last twenty-eight years and been involved not only in training performers, but in educating and mentoring the young people who are in his troupe.\u00a0 He is an eloquent speaker with a deep understanding of the historical significance of the Gombeys, as well as their place in contemporary Bermuda.<\/p>\n

Since our decision to work together, the three of us have documented and analyzed many performances and interviewed musicians, dancers, troupe leaders and regalia makers on the island, partly supported by the Bermuda Department of Cultural Affairs. We have focused both on contemporary performance venues and traditional contexts for Gombey performance: the street festivities that take place throughout Bermuda on December 26 (Boxing Day) and New Year\u2019s Day. Unlike many events that are sponsored by the Government of Bermuda or hosted by local businesses, including wedding venues and hotels, the activities that take place on these days are not staged or promoted for tourists or party goers.\u00a0 Instead the processions and performances are spontaneous and improvisational in nature, including dancers, musicians and community members who are called out of their houses by the sound of the drums to follow their favorite Gombey groups. Troupe members are often fed along the way, and some still traverse the entirety of the island from sunrise to sunset.\u00a0 Rival troupes meet and sometimes engage in Gombey battles, competitions between dancers and drummers from each group.<\/p>\n

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Gombey group out on the street at night during the Christmas season, December 2022<\/p>\n

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My two collaborators: Irwin Trott and Stan Scott at the Society for Ethnomusicology Conference in Ottawa, Canada, October 2023<\/p>\n

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Warwick Gombeys, Boxing Day, December 2022<\/p>\n

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Making <\/span>Echoes and Collisions<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

In this blog post, Lisa Lynch, Gallery Director and Organizing Curator for Widener Gallery, reflects on facilitating and organizing the art exhibition, Echoes and Collisions: The Art of Frantz Patrick Henry in Conversation with Selections from the Edith A. Graham Collection of Haitian Art<\/em>, sponsored by the Center for Caribbean Studies and the Department of Fine Arts<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All photos courtesy of Pablo Delano.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes, after months of careful planning, research, and collaborating, <\/span>a <\/span>serendipit<\/span>ous event changes everything. <\/span>One such<\/span> moment occurred when Pablo Delano, <\/span>Charles A. Dana Professor of Fine Arts<\/span>, visited the studio of <\/span><\/span>Frantz Patrick Henry<\/span><\/span><\/a> at<\/span> <\/span>NXTHVN<\/span><\/span><\/a>, <\/span>an<\/span> art incubator <\/span>lab<\/span> in New Have<\/span>n<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Exhibiting artist Frantz Patrick Henry with his exhibition, <\/span><\/span>Echoes and Collisions<\/span><\/span>, Widener Gallery<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pablo and I had been planning to co-curate an exhibition in Widener Gallery using work from Trinity\u2019s Edith A. Graham Collection of Haitian Art, focusing on Vodou in Haitian art. Early in our planning, we had explored the possibility of pairing work from the collection with that of a contemporary Haitian artist, but unable to find an artist whose work seemed ideal for the project, we decided to focus solely on work from the collection. Certainly, a selection of work from the Graham Collection, which includes more than 300 paintings, sculptures, and objects, would have led to a compelling exploration into the rich Haitian cultural tradition.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When the exhibition checklist was nearly finalized, Pablo met Patrick, a Haitian-born artist living in Montreal who recently completed his MFA at Yale and is now completing an artist residency at NXTHVN.\u00a0 A multidisciplinary artist, Patrick explores the idea of \u201cbecoming\u201d through sculpture, painting and installation. Pablo thought immediately that Patrick\u2019s work would create the provocative pairing that had eluded us. He mentioned the exhibition to Patrick, returned to campus, and sought out my opinion.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I was thrilled. I had long wanted to organize an exhibition of contemporary art paired with historical objects. Since experiencing the exhibition <\/span>Yankee Remix<\/span><\/i> at MASS MoCA more than twenty years prior, I had been intrigued by the myriad ways that artists can use historical objects or places to recontextualize or expand upon their work, whether harmoniously connecting past and present or encapsulating dissonance and tension.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Patrick embraced the project with verve.\u00a0 He began by exploring the entire Graham Collection online, through the <\/span>Trinity Digital Repository<\/span><\/a>. From the hundreds of works of art gifted to Trinity College by Mrs. Graham\u2019s children in memory of their mother, Patrick made a preliminary selection of 27 to view in person. Barbara Sternal, Art Collection Manager for the Watkinson Library, pulled the work from storage and arranged it for display. What a treat to see all this work in person \u2013 with its vivid colors, luminous surfaces, and loose or detailed brushwork \u2013 and to witness Patrick\u2019s interaction with the work, as he studied each image, took notes, and asked questions.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Frantz Patrick Henry<\/span>, <\/span><\/span>Vestiges of Light<\/span><\/span>, 2024<\/span>, steel, cast iron, light<\/span>, from <\/span><\/span>Echoes and Collisions<\/span><\/span>, Widener Gallery<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Patrick returned to his studio with colossal tasks: to make a final selection of work from the Graham Collection to exhibit in conversation with his own, to identify the concurrent or dissonant themes between his work and that from the collection, and to design a floor plan that encouraged dialogue between the work.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pablo and I anticipated that Patrick would send us a checklist of work to be included in the exhibition, along with a floor plan outlining where each would hang, but he surpassed our expectations. His proposed plan included sculptural walls that would define and divide the gallery space, as well as act as a support for Serge Jolimeau\u2019s sculpture, <\/span>Zodiac<\/span><\/i>. Another painting, Jean-Baptiste Bottex\u2019s <\/span>Walls of Jericho<\/span><\/i>, would be exhibited within a custom-built frame mounted to the back of one of Patrick\u2019s sculptures, <\/span>Resurrection Highway<\/span><\/i> \u2013<\/span> a motorcycle frame whose working parts have been replaced with sculptural elements, a surgery light, willow weaving, and a fabricated \u201clung\u201d that \u201cbreathes\u201d with assistance from an attached plywood box filled with a hospital pump, and from which medical tubing and electrical cords spilled.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Patrick\u2019s proposed, unconventional installation methods filled us with excitement, but also apprehension. Would the fabricated wall be strong and steady enough to safely support <\/span>Zodiac<\/span><\/i>? Would <\/span>Walls of Jericho<\/span><\/i> be secure within the custom-designed frame? Would all materials that touch the art be archival?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We deferred to Barbara and Christina Bleyer, College Librarian, Associate Vice President of Libraries and Digital Learning, and Director of Special Collections and Archives for Watkinson Library, whose concerns echoed our own. Patrick answered our questions with increasingly detailed plans and sketches. Satisfied that the works of art would be safe, we approved his plans.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite Patrick\u2019s detailed planning, the installation was a fluid and creative process. Over the span of a few weeks, Patrick essentially transformed Widener Gallery into a gallery-wide installation; his work and that from the collection was placed not only in conversation, but as parts to a cohesive whole.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Each day, Patrick added, subtracted, and manipulated components of the exhibition. He created new sculptures to add flora throughout the space, furthering the connection between each of the installation components. He removed a section of the wall\u2019s smooth exterior fa\u00e7ade to avoid a repetitive symmetry and reveal the structure beneath. He adjusted the motorcycle headlight and gallery lighting to allow the shadow from the light shining through <\/span>Zodiac<\/span><\/i> and the sculpted wall to frame another of his sculptures, <\/span>Vestiges of Light<\/span><\/i>, creating a new work comprised of light, shadow, cast iron, and steel.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\"\"<\/p>\n

Echoes and Collisions, Widener Gallery, Installation View<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Patrick created<\/span> Echoes and Collisions<\/span><\/i> with the aim to \u201cpay tribute to Edith A. Graham\u2019s legacy while embracing the unpredictability of cultural dialogue. In this space, art becomes a force that collides, challenges, and ultimately expands our understanding of heritage and possibility.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The dialogue between Patrick\u2019s work and that from the Graham Collection presents questions and provokes conversation about the meaning of cultural heritage and about our place in the present within the context of our pasts.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Exploring Environmental Policy and Governance in Bonaire: A J-Term Course Development Journey<\/strong><\/h4>\n

By Professor Stefanie Chambers, Department of Political Science<\/em><\/p>\n

With support from Trinity College\u2019s Center for Caribbean Studies (CSS) and the Global Faculty Scholars Program, I have developed a J-Term course focusing on environmental policy and governance in Bonaire. CSS funding supported two exploratory trips to this Dutch special municipality in the southern Caribbean, providing essential groundwork for what will become a unique educational opportunity for Trinity students in January 2026 or 2027.<\/p>\n

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Dive site along coast of Bonaire. The entire island is surrounded by a protected marine park. Photo credit: Stefanie Chambers.<\/p>\n

Why Bonaire?<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Bonaire represents a compelling case study for examining the intersection of colonial relationships, environmental conservation, and governance. Bonaire exemplifies ongoing colonial connections in the Caribbean as a \u201cspecial municipality\u201d of the Netherlands alongside St. Eustatius and Saba. With approximately 24,000 residents, this small island boasts extraordinary ecological diversity that has shaped its political and economic development.<\/p>\n

Bonaire is particularly interesting because the island is surrounded by the Bonaire National Marine Park, comprising over 6,000 acres. Additionally, 17% of the island\u2019s land mass is designated as Washington Slagbaai National Park. Conservation efforts have been central to the island\u2019s governance, with the establishment of the National Bonaire Marine Park dating back to 1979.<\/p>\n

Bonaire stands at a crossroads, determining whether its future will prioritize environmental protection and eco-tourism or pivot toward casino gambling and international hotel chains. This tension makes a course on environmental policy and governance in Bonaire both timely and relevant for Trinity students interested in political science, environmental studies, and Caribbean politics.<\/p>\n

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Central to Bonaire\u2019s political economy is its relationship with salt. Initially harvested by enslaved people, today it is produced by Cargill.\u00a0 Photo credit: Stefanie Chambers.<\/p>\n

Research Trips: From Proposal to Course Development<\/strong><\/h5>\n

My first exploratory visit in March 2024 allowed me to assess the feasibility of developing a J-Term course that would provide students with a rigorous examination of power dynamics, marginalized communities, corporate influences, and colonial relationships on the island. Given the scarcity of literature on Bonaire\u2019s politics and ecological issues outside of tourism books, collecting primary sources and establishing connections with local stakeholders was essential.<\/p>\n

During my visits, I connected with environmental organizations such as Wild Conservation, Science and Education, and Reef Renewal. I also explored the Donkey Sanctuary, Echo Dos Parrot Sanctuary, and the island\u2019s unique mangrove ecosystem. These sites will serve as valuable field experience locations for students in the future course.<\/p>\n

Course Design: Blending Virtual and Experiential Learning<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The course I\u2019m developing will combine two weeks of virtual learning with six days of intensive field experience on the island. During the online component, students will explore Bonaire\u2019s political framework, conservation history, and current environmental challenges through readings, discussions, and virtual meetings with stakeholders.<\/p>\n

The on-island portion will include:<\/p>\n