Fort Fred Art Show: Freedom Rings Out!

     Fort Fred Art Show: 

    Freedom Rings Out!

M.A. Dworkin

     St. Croix - There is something about entering Fort Frederik that can leave you scarred with its memories. The fight for freedom that went on inside and outside its walls can haunt you from the moment you step inside this historic place. The battle for freedom by the Crucian slaves sings out with every step you take, every breath you breathe. Yet, who carries on those battles today? Who cares to bring the plight of those courageous souls back into the light of the present day consciousness? 

     Indeed, who fights to retain the memories of those harrowing days when the conch shell sounded out and the quest for freedom sprung to life on the lips of all those who were oppressed, of all those who longed for the days when they had free air to breathe.      

     DPNR’s Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums (DLAM) is presenting its annual Emancipation Art Exhibition, Ancestral Memories, Caribbean Futures, at the historic Fort Frederik Museum, site of the 1848 Emancipation uprising where Virgin Islanders’ ancestors successfully demanded and won their freedom to end slavery on the island of St. Croix.

     This year’s exhibition is composed of artists who have drawn upon the inspiration of those days that surrounded the uprising for freedom in 1848. 

     Perhaps the symbolic introduction to the show is Therese Trudeau’s stunning “Shared sacred space/My Sister’s Keeper,” Acrylic and paint markers on canvas. Ms. Trudeau’s statement on this piece says it all: “The pairing of two…Mirror shoulder to shoulder back to back.” 

     This ability to ‘have each other’s back’ was certainly one of the most valuable components that kept the revolution alive inside the bodies and minds of all those who waited, for years, in pain and agony for the day they could set themselves free from the tyranny of their oppressor. This brilliantly drawn work pulls at your heart the moment you see it. Yes, this is what the bonds of friendship, of struggle, of having each other’s back, is all about.

     Kanda Burgess, Night Market, Fiber Art, is a work that captivates our interest with its glorious use of colors that seem to bleed into one another, and people who seem to blend into one another as they move towards a gathering place. It could be a snapshot of today’s activities or a vision of days gone by. It could be Sunday Market Square. It could be anywhere on the island where people celebrate togetherness, and the richness of humanity as a whole. 

     Eliana Shuster Brown’s Before the World Sees Me, mixed-media on reclaimed canvas. This vision of a powerful woman, in all her glory, readying herself for the world at large, captures us in such a way that we can’t quite get enough of her life. Where is she going? What worlds is she setting out to conquer? Whatever the answer, we know this is a woman that is determined to make her place in the world, determined to make her mark.   

     Ms. Shuster Brown reminds us: “Rooted in her Caribbean identity, the act of wrapping the headscarf becomes a moment of reflection and self-determination.”

     Ziva Sanchez, Waves of Gold, Mixed Media. Here is hope. Here is a miracle riding on a wave. Here is the wave of a golden future crashing against the shores bringing freedom and a fresh splash of life. The wave of 1848. The wave of 2026. Make a wish. Ride with it!

     Adrian M. Edwards, Making A Way (2026), Digital Art. The piece de resistance, the show stopper and poster for Ancestral Memories, Caribbean Futures, There is no way to walk by this work and not gasp in astonishment. It thrills every part of the senses. Its conception, and creative bravado works on every level of great art. It stings with the vision of a huntress spotting for her prey amidst a forest of sugar cane; and it startles with a bold look of futuristic goggles, hiding the determination of someone who is bent on conquering the future. 

     Mr. Edwards statement on the work reads:  “Making A Way was inspired by the histories of freedom in the Virgin Islands and the realization that every generation must continue that journey in the face of new forms of bondage.”

     Monica Marin, DPNR-DLAM Chief Curator, who brought together this group of twelve richly talented artists that make up this year’s annual Emancipation exhibition, has set down an unmistakable, powerhouse of a message to go along with this highly acclaimed island event: 

     “The legacy of the Emancipation, while highlighting the work of artists whose pieces explore themes of empowerment, resilience, and self-determination brings together diverse and dynamic voices from across the Virgin Islands,” states Ms. Marin. “Their work reflects on the enduring impact of the Emancipation Uprising on Virgin Islander’s identity, culture and collective memory.”

*Ancestral Memories, Caribbean Futures is currently showing at the Fort Frederik Museum in downtown Frederiksted. The exhibition closes October 31, 2026