This is a recount from the 18th International Contemporary Art Festival SESC_Videobrasil in 2014 and is a mishmash of travelogue, diary and critical reflection. This first instalment situates itself in the immense physical & cultural landscape that is São Paulo—a city simultaneously worlds away from the Caribbean, yet sharing an undeniable South-South connection—and begins to unravel the deep-rooted impacts of exchange.

Prospect New Orleans’ biennial Prospect.3: Notes for Now (P.3) was a phenomenal undertaking curated by Franklin Sirmans that looked at the multifaceted history of New Orleans through cross-cultural perspectives. This photo essay is an encounter which left an indelible mark on me as a searcher, prompting introspection about New Orleans’ unique position in the global North/South polemic.

Bothriochloa pertusa or Barbados sour grass was introduced into the region as pasture and grazing options for livestock. This is a plant with polarity and duality, being steadfast in its uprightness during each dry season, yet extending the structure underground to help reduce soil erosion once rainfall returns to the parched territories. Barbadian artist, Annalee Davis, finds this plant underfoot during her morning walks and connects it to the remediation of the land and the quiet revolution that is happening within the internal landscape.

In 2012, on a cultural visit to Aruba to be in conversation with Ateliers ’89–one of the oldest running informal art initiatives in the region–the seed of Caribbean Linked was born. In 2015, as co-founder and critic, I returned to reflect on the experience of bringing like minded artists, curators and writers from the region together, while still asking critical questions about its sustainability and impact on our shared space.