Fragments of Epic Memory

An immersive encounter with the Caribbean and its diaspora, Fragments of Epic Memory intertwines past and present, memory and myth, and continuity and change, creating a testament to the enduring power of art to illuminate the complexities of personal experience. From the streets of Jamaica to the shores of Trinidad and Tobago, Fragments of Epic Memory connects, contextualizes, and complicates historical depictions of the Caribbean region as a place for colonial profit and tourist pleasures. By combining historical and contemporary materials, the exhibition transforms stagnant and biased narratives into multifaceted and revelatory ways of understanding the region’s history. Fragments of Epic Memory recenters the narrative from the dynamic perspectives of the Caribbean diaspora. 

Captivating contemporary works from leading artists of Caribbean descent are placed in dialogue with more than 100 photographs from the Art Gallery of Ontario’s (AGO) Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs, which document the emergence of photography alongside the unfolding of emancipation. Photographs, paintings, and video installations by a multigenerational group of artists engage with legacies of slavery, environmental decimation, and ongoing colonial power dynamics, ultimately platforming Caribbean perspectives. Each piece comes together in a multifaceted presentation of the Caribbean as a site of cultural exchange and self-determination. Fragments of Epic Memory is as much an exploration of what was lost as what has survived. Through these glimpses, viewers are reminded that collective memory is an interwoven tapestry of existence, connecting them in ways seen and unseen.

Artists: Sandra Brewster, Christopher Cozier, Leasho Johnson, Ebony G. Patterson, Paul Anthony Smith, Rodell Warner

Curators: Julie Crooks, Curator of Arts of Global Africa and the Diaspora at AGO, and Daniel Marcus, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions