The most significant qualities of an artist’s work—those that embody their artistic identity—certainly stem from an individual’s solitary efforts. Nevertheless, their personal style is also shaped by external factors and cannot be exercised independently of the surrounding structure—that is, socially induced values, social relationships, and focal points of attention.
What external factors shape Alexandre Bertrand’s work and steer his artistic practice in different directions—scenes of local daily life, academic painting genres, abstraction? How can his work be situated within the history of art in Martinique, the Caribbean, and Europe?
is an independent curator, art critic, and president of the Southern Caribbean section of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA)
