Evita Remy-Benn

'SUGAR' - CSM ALIVE Project

I explored the relationship between Sugar and the Caribbean as well as Sugar and Europe. My interest into the sugar industry and the impact it had on these countries began due to my Caribbean heritage, I have St. Lucia and Guyanese heritage. Both of the countries I am originally from had major involvement in producing sugar. Guyana is known for its Demerara river where Demerara sugar cane grows produces the light brown sugar we know as Demerara. Sugar is a massive export there and, in many other Caribbean countries. This piece explored colonialism, slavery and the human cost of sugar.​

When sugar came to Europe it was a luxury that not many could indulge in and which made it a commodity, I wanted to contrast these two sides of the sugar trade an highlight the hypocrisy within it being a luxury.​

I also looked at cavities and decay to be a vehicle of horror without showing trauma cause to Black and Brown bodies for the sugar trade, the rotting teeth and dental imagery act as this extended metaphor for the horrors of this industry that is hidden behind the beautiful cakes and desserts.​ I wanted to create work that explicitly told a message in short and meaningful way and also conveyed these dual histories and experiences, one being the story of sugar in the Caribbean and the other being the story of sugar in the west and how the two intertwined.​

Through out the year I have been become interested in using video and film to convey my concepts and work, I felt it would be a good medium for this project as my research is very important and crucial to the piece, through creating a collage video I can put my primary and secondary research directly into the work. As mentioned throughout the entirety of my work research and archive has become a major part of my practice and I feel it is integral to include it within all of my pieces.