New-Found-Lands, launching Friday September 9th, will bring together people working in a diverse range of disciplines to investigate the contemporary and historical relationship between Newfoundland and the Caribbean.

The programming will look at how these islands’ relationships were forged through the trade of salt, cod, rum, and other mercantile products over a period of three hundred years, and how it has changed over time.

The events will illuminate correlations between culture and language in both places, and investigate the ways that people have moved between the two islands, including Canada’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.

New-Found-Lands Exhibition Reveal Personal Ties

The series kicks off this Friday, September 9th at Eastern Edge Gallery with the opening of a group show curated by Pamela Edmonds and Bushra Junaid, featuring work by Angela Baker, Sandra Brewster, Alison Duke, Roxana Farrell, Anique Jordan, Bushra Junaid, Wayne Salmon, Tamara Segura, Anita Singh and Camille Turner.

The exhibit will reflect on “personal ties and varied histories of movement and migration.” For example, Jamaican born painter Angela Baker has lived in Corner Brook since 1976. For New-Found-Lands she focuses on her upbringing and on how colonial trade and barter exploited both Jamaican sugar workers and Newfoundland fishermen. Whereas Tamara Segura’s experimental documentary illustrates the role of music in the life of a young Cuban couple’s new home in Newfoundland.

Saturday’s Performances and Talks Address Canada’s Slave-Trade History 

Multi-media artist, Camille Turner’s performance/installation piece, Afronautic Research Lab will take place Saturday morning at the A.C. Hunter Library (11am-1pm). This piece addresses Canada’s refusal to meaningfully acknowledge the history of slavery.

Saturday afternoon, from 3-5, Eastern Edge Gallery will host an artist talk with keynote by Dr. Afua Cooper, and a curatorial tour through the New-Found-Lands exhibit. “Join us and meet the artists and curators who will speak to the work  and themes in the exhibition.” Dr. Afua Cooper is an Associate Professor, and James Robinson Chair in Black Canadian Studies, at Dalhousie University. Her illustrated keynote talk will speak to the topic of Newfoundland and New World Slavery.

Sunday Night’s “Island Fusions Dinner” Hosted by Executive Chef Kirk Myers

The weekend’s events will conclude with an Island Fusions Dinner on Sunday evening, from 6-9:30, at 108 Outer Cove Road. Executive Chef, Kirk Myers, of Taste of Jamaica in Corner Brook will “showcase the shared culinary traditions of Newfoundland and the Caribbean.” The meal will be served with a side of Celtic and Caribbean music including a special performance by Shelley Hamilton (winner of the African Nova Scotian Music Association Artist of The Year award).

Tickets for the meal are $35.00 and are available through Eastern Edge Gallery and Eventbrite.ca.