Three Caribbean Artists

Caribbean art is strong, passionate and filled with contradictions, as are the lives of the three men profiled inThree Caribbean Artists. A rare glimpse is offered into the lives of three different artists, their upbringing, their work and how they became established and well-known artists. Their stories are integrally related to their home on the island of Curaçao, where folklore, magic, and reality happily co-exist. The lives of Jose-Maria Capricorne, Nelson Carrilho, and Philippe Zanolino reflect the impact of slavery, racism, and immigration, common to the history of the Caribbean. Equipped with their cultural background, skills derived from being craftsmen, and ample creativity and grit, they each conquered significant challenges encountered in their lives. The artist’s stories gravitate around the importance of their respective skills, some obtained through teachings and others self-taught. All three artists passionately contribute to educating people on the importance and benefits of art in their own respective ways. In addition, an overview is provided of art developments in the Caribbean, an area whose artworks have proven challenging to capture and denominate.

Susan Wilczak has over twenty years of curatorial and fine art management experience during which time she curated over one hundred exhibitions, working with some of the world's finest sculptors and artists. Marianne de Tolentino is director of the National Gallery of Fine Arts of Santo Domingo. Monique van Herksen was born and raised on the island of Curaçao.She is the daughter of Irene van Herksen, a Curaçao-based art teacher, who recognized that these three artists and their lives represent the transforming power of art and an art education. She dedicates this book to Irene van Herksen.