ABSTRACT
Authored by two Trinidadian art education scholar-practitioners and art curators, this chapter explores some of the still-current impacts of colonialism on the ways that knowledge in Caribbean art has been shaped by Euro-American, European and other external ideologies brought into Antillean spaces through colonization and globalization. These frameworks have shaped the development of collections and narratives in exhibitions that do not always reflect the nuanced artistic and cultural landscape of Caribbean countries. Furthermore, due to gaps in research and collecting, many relevant and culturally significant artists do not have a presence in Caribbean art collections. We have examined this phenomenon through exploring the histories, characterizations and access to one of the prominent public art collections in Trinidad and Tobago: the art collection of Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT). Through this process we have identified historically and culturally significant Trinbagonian artists who are absent from these collections, such as Carlisle Chang, Sybil Atteck, and Boscoe Holder. In the vein through the processes of cultural innovation, we will highlight the historical and cultural importance of this collection and these artists to public collections and their audiences. We will conclude by outlining some implications and recommendations toward achieving greater inclusivity of artists and art forms in the public art collections of Trinidad and Tobago, which adds knowledge to the field of Caribbean arts.
