The Beach

3. Asher Mains — Grenada Asher Mains is a practicing artist and educator from Grenada. His installation work uses locally sourced materials as a way of talking about empathy and memory. He is an instructor of art at St. George’s University, and the the director of the alternative art school, Art School Greenz. Asher last represented Grenada in 2017 at the Biennale di Venezia. He was part of the team that represents Grenada at the 58th Biennale di Venezia, filling the role of Director of Research on the Scientific Committee. He received his MFA in Creative Practice from Transart Institute for Creative Research. Mains lives and works as a director at Art House 473 in Calliste.

4. Susan Valentine — Grenada, Carriacou Auto didactic artist with former life in Marketing. Lives and works in Carriacou.

Prior to the Grenada Contemporary Show Call for Entries, on a day trip to the small SaintVincent Island, Union Island, I was very disturbed to see a fence, a chicken wire fence, sprayed gold, held with rough hewn posts spanning the entire beach front of a boutique hotel! It was obvious that it was meant to keep locals out...the nightly room rate exceeds $500US. I had to take a picture, I had to capture this absurd statement of where Development of Small Caribbean Islands could lead.

I began researching small island development and found a few studies, news articles, one of which Grenadians are quite aware of, with a Five Star Hotel’s newly built beach wall being dismantled after public outcry. Most interesting discovery was in 1983, famous Calypsonian, Mighty Gabby released his Song, Jack, demoralizing the Tourism Industry, Development and the restrictions being placed on locals in Barbados.

For this show, I am presenting a Participatory Installation representing my home island of Carriacou and the effect of the beach on day to day life. Fortunately, there has not been Development issues to date but it is assured that Kayaks will not allow the “Golden Fence” and for now, join with me and choose a postcard and turn the barricade into a piece of art.

13. Ingrid Newman — Grenada/South Africa

Small islands are on the frontline of climate related challenges. This could potentially affect those forced to migrate as a result of climate disruption and displacement, it could also affect tourism on which the island depends for its economic survival. The aspect I have chosen to focus on is the responsibility of visitors to places like Grenada, as it relates to our out of sight, out of mind mentality that enables business as usual. Plastic waste consumed and disposed of by visitors and developers is significant. The impact on landfill and disposal has a massive knock-on for the island citizens as it contributes to both land, ocean and air degradation. Through my exploration and experiments with plastic I hope to inspire a positive approach to finding innovative ways of encouraging individuals to view plastic as a material that has value. The life-size child she sculpts here is the work of many pieces of plastic waste that she has shaped, then painted.