> PaxtonVI / Art by Eric Paxton

Rebirth of the Spirit is a group exhibition created in response to the 2017 hurricane season and its aftermath as we work towards rebuilding a stronger, more healthy and sustainable Virgin Islands. The show is inspired by Robert Farris Thompson’s Flash of the Spirit, a seminal work that examines the roots of African traditions in the New World and the spiritual and social function of art. The exhibition showcases how various artforms can bring people together around important issues as well as the healing and transformative power of art. A collaboration between curator Monica Marin and Peachcan gallerist Felicia Farrante, it features artists from and/or living in the Virgin Islands whose work embodies the characteristics of risk-taking and improvisation. Bold and brave in their practice, and often inventive in their use of found materials, the work embodies and evokes a spiritual essence in its dreamlike quality, symbolism, and abstracted nature.

As part of this exhibition, we engage audiences through a multimedia presentation that activates the streets of Christiansted with public art, featuring visual art, sculpture, music, dance and film. The exhibition includes work by Jon Euwema, Christina Gasperi, Luca Gasperi, Gerville Larsen, Eric Paxton, Gabriel Stephen, Niarus Walker, and Mike Walsh.

Monica Marin, Curator