Wedgee

In the Caribbean many poor families bath at the standpipe due to a lack of bathroom facilities and access to potable water. The painting entitled Wedgee merits some pause for observation, as one participant from Sangre Grande walks along his neighborhood after a bath at the village standpipe. My renderings show the ease at which such a private act is comfortably performed in public spaces and the dialogue continues with the unfinished toilet blocked by rusted galvanize and an enamel pail for throwing water from the bucket. This painting is an example of the juxtaposition of fused images going beyond the boundaries of the camera's gaze. The painting Wedgee emphasizes the act of standpipe bathing as a regional practice throughout the Caribbean. Bathing in a public forum highlights the social status and living standards of the poorer Caribbean people. Cleansing in an unclean environment further drives the reality that inherent inequalities cannot be easily washed away. The daily lives of the underprivileged sets them up for a lifestyle of deprivation where the enjoyment of luxury and privacy is forfeited. In addition, the unsightly nature of the wedge in the figure's underpants in the painting shows that he is unfazed by the discomfort and the lack of privacy.
Dimensions 23x36 inches and framed
Mixed Medium.