Maxanne Rock - Global temperature,acrylic on canvas, 18x18 ins, triptych
International Communications Association Inc. and Diaspora Now Inc., in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Barbados to the United Nations, are excited to announce the launch of “Artists for Action: Climate Change Awareness in the Americas.” This inspiring exhibition will take place at the Dwyer Cultural Center in Harlem, showcasing paintings, photographs, prints, and videos by 12 talented Caribbean and Diaspora artists. Their work highlights the urgent efforts to protect and restore our fragile ecosystems—especially the sea and oceans that are vital to the Caribbean region’s tourism and food security.
Curated by Anderson M. Pilgrim of Barbados and New York City, the exhibition brings to the forefront the importance of safeguarding our coastal areas. Increasing incidents of sargassum seaweed overwhelming beaches have sparked creative recycling solutions, while shifting weather patterns and more intense storms threaten food security and infrastructure. Regional agronomists continue to study these challenges, advising leaders on how to plan for the future, feed their communities, and protect valuable resources at or below sea level. Whether these climate issues are impacting small Caribbean islands or US states like California, Florida, New York, or North Carolina, the effects are being felt now, shaping both our daily lives and our long-term plans for adaptation.
The exhibition features the unique perspectives of artists Barbara Russell, Bernard S. Hoyes, Carlos Santiago, Charles Jean Pierre, Cher Antoinette, Chris Cumberbatch, Diogenes Ballester, Elodie Cage Smith, Maxanne Rock (featured), Pauline Marcelle, Tau Battice, and Vidho Lorville. Representing Barbados, Dominica, Haiti, Jamaica, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, these artists—many of whom are now based in the USA—offer powerful reflections on climate change through their art.
The Dwyer Cultural Center invites the public to meet the curator and artists at the exhibition opening on Friday, December 12, from 6 to 9 pm. The event will be hosted by Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Barbados to the UN, Mr. Francois Jackman. Visitors are also encouraged to return for a thought-provoking panel discussion, “Climate Change Awareness in the Americas – Small States in the Lead,” on Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 5:30 to 8 pm. The show runs until January 31st, 2026..
Special thanks go to Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., the Consulate General of Barbados in New York, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and the Manhattan Borough President’s Office, for their generous support in making this important event possible.
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