| Eagora

To migrate away from one’s country is not just the act of an individual. It involves the histories, culture, and religion, as well as the stories and memories that go forth with this person. Many diasporan migrants retain connections to each other and their homelands. Migrant artists, in particular, often feel the need to express and inform their audiences, of the rich history migrants inherently possess, since they are part of a larger global worldview. Firelei Báez and Edouard Duval-Carrié are trying to disseminate the message of triumph through struggle within not only in the Caribbean diaspora but in diasporas everywhere. Coming from a Caribbean diasporan background myself, I personally appreciate that Báez and Duval-Carrié are creating art to raise awareness of Caribbean cultures. While researching these artists, I discovered a pronounced lack of emphasis in the art world of diasporan artists originating from this region. It is time for Caribbean diasporan artists to be included in the contemporary art world. Peripheral modernism is the lens I have conceptualized to look at the migrant connection of these artists and the different perspectives they have on the global world experience. Báez and Duval-Carrié are two artists who can be understood through the lens of peripheral modernism in order to better understand their complex worldviews.