Feb. 5, 2009 – The Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts exhibits works by Preston Doane, whose unique body of paintings and drawings relate to the 1840s Danish sugar industry and its ties with the West African slave trade. The exhibit, entitled "Odyssey of the Little Mermaid," will be on view from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, Feb. 6-28.
The show is centered around several major works consisting of acrylic painted on linen-wrapped or canvas-wrapped board. Ancillary works include India ink drawings, acrylic and oil pastel on paper and linen.
Preston Doane has lived on the former Danish sugar island of St. Croix for 39 years. He has been continually conscious of the slavery syndrome. However, what really riveted his attention was a guileless piece published in the June 2000 issue of Modern Maturity written by an African-American woman who had traveled to Ghana (the former Ivory Coast) to trace her ancestral lineage. Photos accompanied the poignant article. Preston was impacted by the scale and proportion of the African slave trade: the capture and sale by African tribal chiefs and the acquisition by Europeans.
A surrogate was decided upon to assist and shelter the artist. The Little Mermaid statue, rockbound in Copenhagen Harbor, was selected in this role because of her light-hearted innocence conveying Hans Christian Andersen's classic story-telling warmth.
The collection of 20 pieces demonstrates a nuanced treatment of our colonial Virgin Island history. Several pieces have not been shown before. Preston Doane invites discussion with collectors.
There will be an opening reception for the artist held from noon to 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8, at Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts Inc., 10 Strand Street, Frederiksted, St. Croix. For information, call 772-2622; fax 772-2612; visit: www.cmcarts.org; or
e-mail: [email protected]