The Sea is History

The book features work by contemporary artists who address issues of migration and displacement from both a historical and contemporary perspective. Inspired by the seminal poem by the St. Lucian Nobel-laureate poet Derek Walcott, The Sea is History explores topics related to postcolonial discourse that are not limited to a single geographic region, one type of visual art practice, or one specific theoretical approach. As such, the volume brings the individual perspectives and narratives of each participating artist to the fore, while also questioning how these various histories are interconnected and entangled. Within this context, migration and displacement are recurring themes that relate to a timeframe that begins with the Atlantic slave trade and continues until today. This fully illustrated catalogue will include essays by Salah M. Hassan, Manthia Diawara, Annie Paul, and Selene Wendt, as well as an essay and a selection of poems by Ishion Hutchinson. Poems by Linton Kwesi Johnson, Kei Miller, Christian Campbell, and Nyugen E. Smith will also be featured.