Jupiter is pleased to present Caribbean Revels, a group exhibition inspired by the eponymous Caribbean celebration of freedom and self-expression as well as the rich fabric of the Caribbean community in Miami. Bringing together twelve African and African diasporic artists—from the United States to Puerto Rico and the Democratic Republic of the Congo alike—the exhibition revels in the emancipatory power of Carnival and the role of the body in expressing liberation, identity, play, spirituality, and autonomy.
As a celebratory event on Emancipation Day both in the region and beyond, Carnival has come to serve as a cultural and artistic connection between the islands and the diaspora. While these festivities mostly occur in the form of parades and street parties that have long been a celebration of freedom, routines embedded within this life-affirming ritual draw on contemporary and traditional Caribbean and African dances. With a heavy emphasis on working the thighs and glutes, this tradition amplifies the liberation of the body.
In this spirit, the works on view—by Destiny Belgrave, Justin Chance, George Clinton, Mark Fleuridor, Leasho Johnson, Zemba Luzamba, Milo Matthieu, Nora Maité Nieves, Curtis Santiago, Marcus Leslie Singleton, Jade Thacker, and Paul Verdell—all respond to Carnival as a continuum, a boundary-defying performative aesthetic, that manifests an African, and African diasporic need for self-redefinition.