Trinidad & Tobago in Venezuela

(Caracas, August 15, 2012). Trinidad & Tobago is the Caribbean; it is mountains, lakes, plains, sea shores, rivers, calypso, steel band, art. A selection that reveals this wealth of contrasts will be available for the enjoyment of the Caracas public at the exhibition Plastic Artists – Trinidad & Tobago in Venezuela, which opened today at the CAF Gallery to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this Caribbean nation’s independence.

The selection offered by CAF –Latin American development bank- and the Embassy of Trinidad & Tobago in Venezuela consists of works by Emilia Azcárate, Valerie Brathwaite, Christopher Cozier, Alicia De Lima, Che Lovelace, Luis Romero, and Anabela San Vicente, creators who hail from Trinidad and Tobago and are resident in Venezuela, Venezuelan artists who have lived on this Caribbean island, and Trinitarian artists who have ties with Venezuelan artists, in a clear demonstration of cultural integration.

“The proximity of these two CAF partner countries and their shared geographic identity have lent themselves to the exchange of experiences by creators whose artistic expressions, possessing great richness of ingenuity, color, and form, place the art of the Caribbean in the world of the universal plastic arts,” said Enrique García, CAF’s president and CEO, during the opening.

“With great pride and satisfaction, we hope that, besides celebrating the important fiftieth anniversary of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago’s independence, this exhibition will also provide an opportunity for strengthening cultural ties with the other member nations of our institution,” added García.

The bank’s president concluded by stating that the celebration highlights the entry of Trinidad & Tobago as a full member of CAF, a decision that strengthens the bank’s presence in the Caribbean and promotes development and regional integration.

David Anthony Edghill, the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago’s ambassador in Venezuela, stated “This is a tribute to the strong fraternal ties that have been forged in the course of history between Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. The presentation of these works of art is of particular importance for Trinidad & Tobago as they embody both the spirit and the vitality of the peoples of the Caribbean and it gives a concrete expression to our government’s policy of promoting the cultural industry while building and strengthening relations between countries, in particular with our nearest neighbors.”

“I would like to express –concluded Edghill- my deep thanks to CAF for so generously offering its time, facilities, and services to house these important works of art, and on such a special occasion. As always, CAF continues to confirm its unswerving support for the effective integration of the peoples and countries of the region of Latin America and the Caribbean in a way that is tangible.”

The exhibition

Plastic Artists – Trinidad & Tobago in Venezuela will be on show from August through to October at the CAF Gallery, a space that seeks to highlight the multifaceted artistic nature of the 18 shareholder countries of this Latin American bank, combining exhibitions that go from the most genuine manifestations of popular creativity to the most elaborate expressions of Latin American artistic genius.

Address: Avenida Luis Roche, Torre CAF, Altamira Open: Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Admission free