Bermuda is to host a group of 16 mostly Miami-based artists as part of a cultural exchange programme.

Lisa Howie, the founder of Black Pony Gallery, has curated a weeklong tour for Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, a programme that facilitates a roving exchange with Miami artists living in, and moving to and from, the Caribbean annually.

Islandscapes: Ascending Triangle, Bermuda is presented in collaboration with the host, Black Pony Gallery.

DVCAI’s first cultural exchange to Bermuda will engage in collective workshops, studio visits and dialogues between the US and Bermudian artists and curators from March 20 to 27.

Ms Howie said: “Participants are interested in, and committed to, sharing and expanding their contemporary visual art practices across linguistic areas of the region.

“Following DVCAI’s successful model of conducting cultural exchanges to an area three times in non-consecutive years to establish deep connections that reverberate back to Miami culturally, reciprocal residencies with Bermudian artists will occur in 2024-26 at DVCAI Studio 164 in Miami-Dade County.

“Bermudian artists interacting during this first exchange will be highlighted during DVCAI virtual forums and at exhibition opportunities nationally and internationally.

“Activities include documentation through photography, leading to the publication of an exchange catalogue that captures partners, interviews and artwork images.

“Afro-diasporic scholar Dr Alix Pierre pens an essay. DVCAI Artists create exchange journals documenting the interactions, creative learning and visual journeys experienced. Journals are added to the DVCAI Living Archive held at dLOC [Digital Library of the Caribbean] at Florida International University and the University of Miami Library, Special Collections Department.

“The visit to Bermuda offers a great comparison and counter-narrative to the narratives of islands previously visited by DVCAI artists. DVCAI is looking to challenge boundaries, expand perceptions of isolation, and are curious to listen and hear how the pandemic affected Bermudian artists, who may recount feeling deeply isolated from the world.”

Ms Howie will take the artists on studio visits and engage the group in a variety of cultural and walking experiences to learn about Bermuda’s complex history.

Gordon-Wallace, DVCAI curator, said: “To address the question of ‘Why Bermuda?’ I must speak of my own curiosity about these British islands.

“It is separated and filled with amazing visuals and geography.

“In preparing this exchange, working themes have risen organically that reflect the charged history of Caribbean art such as the importance of place, the questioning of women's roles and the prevalence of the still-life tradition in art-making.”

By working with Ms Howie, DVCAI will explore leading Bermudian arts institutions.

Ms Howie added: “We will explore how artists in the Caribbean islands are challenging boundaries and defying easy categorisations.

“This exchange examines broad trends in Caribbean visual culture and calls into question some notable absences. Participants will use art to unearth and interrogate baseline issues of race, class and gender, and discover the heritage and artistic commonalities with international colleagues in Bermuda.”