Born in Paris of parents originating from Martinique, Marylène Agat is a plastic art artist who lives in Guadeloupe for about ten years. She is preparing, now, her next exhibition after participating in the 10th edition of the Biennale Marché Art Contemporain (BMAC) in Le Marin in Martinique and in a collective exhibition in the Media Library Georges Nicolo in Le Gosier (Guadeloupe) on the theme “Artists’ view on the Black Code” with the visual artists Thierry Lima and Stonko.
She tells of one of her last major exhibition – “Volé, Papiyon, Volé!” (Fly, Butterfly, Fly!) – which was held in April, 2015 in the Salle Rémi Nainsouta, in Pointe-à-Pitre.
The “Butterfly” the artist speaks about is, of course, the island of Guadeloupe, because of its shape. “I ask it to fly, to move at all levels. We are often negative, we complain. Certainly, we are hurt by slavery and school must do its educational work to not forget the past. But, we must let go of slavery. We are too inclined to take hostage slavery. Yes, colonialism existed, today we are in a miscegenation period, the doors are opened (…)”, explained Marylène Agat. To illustrate her remaks, the artist realized 41 works with oil paint, in bright colors and black without forgetting different materials (sand, wood etc.).
From pastel to oil paint
Several paintings captured the public’s attention among these “Destreland” which symbolizes the consumer society ; “Milénis” that “reminds us a slave ship”, explains Marylène Agat but which is also the name of another shopping centre in Guadeloupe ; “Desolation” (Devastation) which means “the claims to the end”, said the artist or “Complot” (Plot) which is “an idea of the Negro who is fighting against another Negro”, says the young woman ; as for the painting called “Les Âmes en paix” (Souls in Peace), it symbolizes the sleep of the dead. Moreover, the chain is everywhere in the works, sometimes it is broken, other times it imprisons.
Marylène Agat’s first exhibition took place in December 2005, it was made up of a dozen pastel paintings. In October, 2006, the plastic art artist presented an exhibition entitled “Entre Ciel et Terre” (Between Heaven and Earth) composed of 85 paintings at the Salle Rémi Nainsouta in Pointe-à-Pitre which will then become her lucky room. So, the following year, she returned with another exhibition called “Antan Lontan Jòdi Jou Rivé” (In times past Today) consists of 7 works. In April 2009, her new production “Kaz An Nou” (Our Little House) was devoted to the disappearance of the little Creole house. Then, followed the exhibitions “Kwayandiz Jodi Jou” on the beliefs, in 2011 and “Violence”, in 2013.
An militant artist
Marylène Agat has specific expectations about the Memorial ACTe, this immense building dedicated to slavery, inaugurated on May 10, 2015 in the presence of the President of the French Republic, François Hollande, heads of State and Government from the Caribbean and Africa. The artist was also present on the site of the former Darboussier sugar factory on the opening day, on July 7, 2015 to visit this place of memory and history. “I expect a space that tells slavery to the children, a place of learning, a place showing Guadeloupean and Caribbean culture and I especially expect a place where the artists who will exhibit will not always be the same (…)”, she said.
Marylène Agat, simply an militant artist.
