Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) warmly invites the community to attend the next installment of the Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums’ (DLAM) ongoing artist talk series, “LUNCHTIME WITH THE ARTIST.” The second session will take place on Thursday, September 25th, from 1:30 to 3:00 PM at the Fort Frederik Museum.
This dynamic series highlights artist featured in DLAM’s annual Emancipation art exhibition, “Tides of Freedom: Histories of Resistance from the USVI to the USA.” The upcoming event will showcase a conversation between Lucien Downes, a multidisciplinary artist and curator, and Regina Kay Keels, a Crucian artist, writer, poet, and educator.
Lucien Downes, whose heritage spans Crucian, Trinidadian, and Bajan roots, brings a powerful voice to the exhibition through his mixed-media work. His featured piece, “The Man on a Mission,” portrays General Buddhoe leading a group of freedom fighters on horseback through Frederiksted during the 1848 Emancipation movement—an evocative tribute to self-liberation and resistance.
Regina Kay Keels’ work, “Maternal Lines,” explores resistance as a legacy passed through generations. Her mixed-media piece blends poetry and symbolism, drawing inspiration from her late mother’s “Crucian Women” series and a family warning: “Don’t Let Them Put You Back in the Barracoon!” She describes her work as “woman-voiced,” honoring known and unknown Queens who paved paths to freedom.
“LUNCHTIME WITH THE ARTIST” will continue throughout the duration of the exhibition, which runs until late October. Each session offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from artists about their creative process, inspiration, and how their work contributes to the broader narrative of emancipation in the Virgin Islands and beyond.
Admission is $5, with free entry for students under 18, who are especially encouraged to attend and participate in the conversation.
For more information, please contact:
Amy Parker DeSorbo, DLAM Director: amy.desorbo@dpnr.vi.gov
Monica Marin, DLAM Chief Curator: monica.marin@dpnr.vi.gov
Fort Frederik Museum: 340-772-2021
