Hanging above you, in the main gallery, as part of Firelei Báez: Sueño de la Madrugada (A Midnight’s Dream) is bright blue tarpaulin. Cloth like this, made from canvas or polyester coated polyurethane, is used by people around the world to protect homes. It acts as a barrier from rain leaks, mould, insect infestation and sun radiation and is often used following the devastation of natural disasters such as hurricanes.
On 1 July 2024, Hurricane Beryl hit the Caribbean. This has been named as the strongest hurricane in history to hit North America. Its impact has left a vast trail of devastation, with homes destroyed, roofs ripped off and flooding. Natural disasters like this are believed to be a direct result of the climate crisis. Often starting as a tropical wave, warmer ocean waters and thunderstorms lead to hurricanes and cause irreversible damage to the people and communities they hit.
Following a hurricane, houses and structures are replaced with a sea of blue tarp. This bright, temporary shelter is a visual reminder of the continuing effects of global warming.
In Báez’s installation, the tarp signifies a troubled relationship between refuge and calamity.
People living in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Jamaica, Barbados, Carriacou, Venezuela and surrounding areas are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl.
If you would like to support those affected, please see our list of resources and ways to help below.