 UWI student and artist, Kwynn Johnson has been exhibiting her work at Soft Box Art Gallery, before taking it to Jacmel, Haiti in November. The exhibition, titled, “How the Light Enters,” is a collection of drawings produced in the town of Jacmel. It forms part of her research for a PhD in Cultural Studies. It runs until October 21.
The city of light
We are Jacmelians.
The thing created a void.
But the artist is in residence!
Give me back my cement bag.
Give me back my canvas.
Habitation and transcendence,
The thing created an absence.
We are Jacmel
Our space etched with dawn,
Our place etched with dusk.
Sharing fried plantains.
Sharing Barbancourt.
Let the speakers echo Kompa
If you must.
Hadriana needs a turkey for the New Year
Dancing with rubble on her shoulder.
Balancing a bucket of water on her head.
Rebuilding with rubble and street dust.
Holding a Prestige wrapped in a napkin.
for Depestre
The mais-moullen is ready, forget the pumpkin.
Bayard and Ebby are setting up the lights
The Alliance is on their way.
tell Ambroise it’s time to wake up,
Or the water truck won’t play My Heart Will Go On
Dadou is coming from the cemetery
Djuice is driving like a maniac.
Because someone cut down the tree.
The city of light is guiding my way
I need a motor-taxi to take me home
The water is coming over the bridge
There is blood under the Cap Rouge.
The road of friendship is around the corner
Lissa is baking bread
Because Herby Marshal cooked the iguana.
Launder your day in the basin bleu
Stop at Florita for wi-fi and coffee
Pick up a baguette at Cadet’s boulangeie
Send me a Vétiver bundle from Paskal
The power comes back at three.
Give Danticat a tourist mask
It will scare off the spirits at last.
Blan! Stop hovering over me,
You are blocking my light
- Kwynn Johnson, 2013.
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