Outputs

The dynamic, collaborative symposiums brought together researchers, artists, performers and other carnival stakeholders in three different diasporic locations; the US, the Caribbean and the UK. The key focus on each workshop was to understand how women in carnival resist oppressive forces through the medium of carnival and to examine the sustainability and future direction of carnival research. The workshops were also focused on bringing academics and artists in conversation with one another to bridge the gap between disciplines and practices.

Each symposium was attended by approximately 50 attendees and we were able to collate feedback from each event which was extremely positive. We discovered that women in these three locations use carnival as a platform to challenge patriarchal ideas about sexuality and femininity. They do this through the medium of dance, costuming, storytelling, music and scholarship. The California and Leeds symposiums were hybrid and recorded with both in-person and online participants from around the world. The Leeds symposium included an art exhibition, a theatre performance and a dance workshop. Dr. Kim Vaz-Deville, who attended from New Orleans and presented on the baby dolls of Madi Gras said:

Dance Choreographer and performing artist Maria Slack, of MProductiontime2show tweeted that she ‘really enjoyed this event, very informative, learned a lot and met good creative professionals that are as passionate as myself for people to strive and keep Caribbean carnival alive and to also interact with new arrivals and different categories. Thank you’.

As well as running three international workshops, we have collated a database of interviews, photographs and film recordings of participants preparing for carnival, reflecting on their carnival practice and taking part in carnival as well as film footage of each symposium. The project leaders and participants took part in tradition carnival practices in both Leeds and Trinidad (and later, New Orleans Mardi Gras) and were able to reflect on the lived experience of carnival in the symposiums that followed the events.

Exhibition of carnival paintings

We were able to support, with additional funding from the School of Cultural Studies and Humanities QR funds, the creation of a carnival exhibition. 'Danca e Luta', by carnival artist Rhian Kempadoo-Miller draws inspiration from traditional carnival characters such as Baby Doll, Jab Jab, Blue Devil, and La Diablesse. The work provides a social commentary on Caribbean heritage, contemporary politics, feminism and current affairs. It also explores how carnival has historically been used as a vehicle for revolution and change through painting, collage, textiles and digital art. A series of six art prints and original canvases were created by Rhian and displayed as part of the WIC symposium in Leeds. The prints were made into six pull-up stands and are now on permanent display at Leeds Beckett University.