From November 7 to 14, five cultural organizations from across the Caribbean will converge in Saint Lucia for an artist residency focused on elevating traditional pharmacopeia through art.
This week-long event will feature artists and cultural practitioners from Saint Lucia, Dominica, and Martinique as they create collaborative works and lead-free workshops for local schools and communities.
This residency represents a bold new approach to exploring and transmitting Caribbean intangible and cultural heritage through a diverse range of artistic practices, successfully linking contemporary creation with ancestral knowledge.
A Caribbean Cultural Alliance
The residency will assemble five talented artists from Martinique, Saint Lucia, and Dominica, collaborating under the theme of the sea as a shared space for ancestral knowledge, practices, and stories that flow across the Caribbean.
Featured artists include Jenae Bell (visual artist, Dominica), Jean-Marc Bullet (art designer, Martinique), Armanie Mathurin (writer, Saint Lucia), and Mehdi Michalon (sensory artist, Martinique). They will delve into the connections between art, memory, and nature, producing collaborative works inspired by traditional Caribbean wisdom.
Additionally, a two-day workshop at the Mount Kailash Rejuvenation Centre—an iconic sanctuary in Saint Lucia dedicated to wellness and plant-based healing—will allow participants to rediscover ancestral knowledge and medicinal plant practices, essential components of the Caribbean’s shared intangible heritage.
This initiative powerfully emphasizes the richness of traditional knowledge across the islands and its capacity to inspire contemporary artistic endeavors.
The program is supported by a trinational consortium of five cultural organizations dedicated to artistic creation and transmission:
– **ZOFI (Martinique): The driving force behind the An Ba Lanmè project, promoting Caribbean cultural and artistic development.
– La Station Culturelle (Martinique): Supporter of contemporary art, striving to engage the widest audience. – Le Labo des Histoires Martinique (Martinique):** Advocating for writing as a tool for social and cultural inclusion for youth aged 6 to 25.
– Waitukubuli Artist Association (Dominica):
A collective of artists dedicated to showcasing the cultural and artistic heritage of Dominica.
– Twossaints (Saint Lucia): An educational platform that connects the diaspora and Saint Lucia through Creole knowledge and identities via language and art.
An International Artistic Cooperation Project
An Ba Lanmè embodies the profound connections that unite the Caribbean islands, akin to underwater currents shaped by a shared history and culture. This project is committed to reviving Caribbean narratives and identities through artistic creation, fostering a shared cultural language among participants. It unites artists, art professionals, and communities with a singular purpose: to preserve and promote the region’s intangible heritage while establishing a sustainable cultural network.
Additionally, the initiative enhances the skills and creativity of art and cultural professionals, paving the way for the emergence of new local talents.
A Virtuous Cultural Ecosystem
An Ba Lanmè actively contributes to the formation of a dynamic Caribbean creative ecosystem, founded on collaboration and exchange between the islands. Backed by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Fondation de France, this project highlights Caribbean cultural heritage while invigorating the local creative economy.
Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, it melds culture, education, and sustainable development to shape a more responsible and interconnected future for the region.
“History has taught us to adopt the culture of others and to turn our eyes away from ourselves, rendering us blind to our own treasures. Our shared cultural heritage is extensive, filled with enduring connections to the earth, life, and the unseen. We are committed to creating the conditions necessary for exploring these bonds,” asserts Nicolas Derné, Artistic Director of the Zofi association.
“This initiative exemplifies cultural exchange at its height—a robust bridge between islands, languages, and generations. Through An Ba Lanmè, we are determined to showcase the lasting significance of Creole identity and celebrate the shared creativity that links our region to the broader world,” emphasizes Indira Toussaint, Co-Founder of Twossaints.
“By leveraging this collaborative artistic ecosystem, we are empowered to reassess our narratives, traditions, and heritage through a fresh lens, while adopting an approach that resonates with contemporary challenges facing our countries and communities,” states Michael Lees, President of Waitukubuli Artist Association.
An Ba Lanmè is an unwavering commitment to artistic and cultural cooperation, uniting Martinique, Dominica, and Saint Lucia to revive the historical and cultural ties that bind the Caribbean region.