The artwork in this visual essay has been inspired by the late social justice activist and artist Colin Robinson and his love of carnival. Robinson’s activist work with CAISO and his queer Caribbean liberation practices allowed me to directly draw on my experience as a Caribbean diasporic lesbian for the creation of the artwork presented here. Most of these pieces can be seen in New York at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art’s The Plural of He exhibition, curated by Andil Gosine, which runs 15 March–21 July 2024.
Oui Matis (fig. 1): This painting is intended to create an imaginary space that positions queerness in relation to Caribbean folktales, Canadian culture, and mas’ making.
The Great Bernadine, Royal Cobo of the Caribbean (Royal B / Royal Cobo) (fig. 2): The Royal Cobo depicted here is a diasporic mashup of the King Corbeaux and the Midnight Robber carnival...
