“Based on my own Danish West Indian background, I examine and process themes related to the transatlantic slave trade that, despite the predominant collective repression, still play an important part in our society. My work is a personal taking history to task and a protest against the suppression of and often ignorant attitude towards these problems that I meet in this part of the world.”

Jeannette Ehlers (Denmark) is the first artist at The Caribbean Housewife. We present photography from her ‘Atlantic’ series and her publication ‘SAY IT LOUD!’ The title refers to “Say it loud! I’m black and I’m proud”, which James Brown sang in 1968. The song was a call to the black population in the United States to replace the chains of the past with pride.

Jeannette Ehlers experiments with complex issues, such as identity and representation, often departing from her background. Her modes of expression range from real recordings, digital video processing, sound montage, animation to performance art.

Jeannette Ehlers has established herself as one of the most significant contemporary artists worldwide. She has exhibited her work at, for instance, Nikolaj Kunsthal, Copenhagen Contemporary Art Centre (Denmark); Kianga Ellis Projects, New York (United States); CARIBBEAN: Crossroads of the World, El Museo del Barrio, New York (United States); Dak’Art, the Dakar Biennale (Senegal); Parisian Laundry, Montreal (Canada); BLACK EUROPE BODY POLITICS, BE.BOP 2012 and 2013; ENTER 2011: Ung Dansk Samtidskunst, Kunsthallen Brandts (Denmark); Subtle Whispering_Danish Video Art Festival, Total Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul (South Korea).

Her work was on show at The Caribbean Housewife from the Opening Event on October 7 until November 27, 2016.

Photo
‘Atlantic (Endless Row 2)’ by Jeannette Ehlers (Denmark 2009)
C-photo 60 x 120 cm