Artist Sheena Rose is all over the social networks with a project called Sweet Gossip. A digital art show, it is a collaborative project with Rose, photographer Adrian Richards and writer Natalie McGuire.
The project looks at the pop culture of Barbados and the phrases or comments that Barbadians use when gossiping or in a certain situation.
“This project expresses more of the Barbadian culture than the familiar stereotypes of beaches and sun, and looks at the way we Barbadians speak,” said Rose, who used poster-size paintings incorporated into performances in the streets and also public spaces where most gossip is heard.
In the paintings, Rose referenced some stereotypes and placed them within everyday situations in the paintings.
She also did a video of the making of Sweet Gossip.
Rose has been busy since the start of the year. She had a second solo show called Town To Town at L’Atrium, Fort de France, Martinique, with six animations and some drawings of the animations Town. While in Martinique, Rose got the opportunity to work with some art students.
“We brought our work to the street. The public was curious and we had a lot of interaction.”
After Martinique, Rose spent a month in Kansas.
“My work was on display in a contemporary Caribbean exhibition called Into The Mix in the Kentucky Museum Of Art and Craft.
“The director of the museum, Aldy Milliken, invited me to participate in a one-month artist’s residency and I learnt a lot about the North American culture,” Rose explained.
Since then, Rose’s work has travelled to the conference YoSoyElOtro Caribe in Madrid, Spain, and the 11th Havana Biennial in Cuba. Town To Town art pieces also went to Uitnodiging, Holland. She then went to the Queens Museum in New York in a very large exhibition called Caribbean Crossroad.
“This exhibition was very important because three museums in NYC organized this show – the Studio Museum Of Harlem, Queens Museum and El Museum Del Barrio.
“I am really happy and proud of all of these great opportunities that have been afforded me. I am working on some more projects now that have me up some late nights and long days.
“But it’s worth it in the end to see your vision on paper, said the Barbados Community College graduate who is looking to do her Master’s in fine arts.
Town To Town is now in Puerto Rico at the Museum Of Contemporary Art until December.
