In Basse-Terre, “rue du Nègre sans Peur” (Negro without fear) is this very narrow street that was once used by many vehicles to escape from traffic jams, and which has been made pedestrian only by the new municipality. Here you will find one of the oldest buildings in the city of Basse-Terre – the famous Coquille house or Turlet house – dating from the 18th century and classified as a historical monument in 1990.
It was in this setting, steeped in history, that the work by graffiti artist Yeswoo, originally from Rennes (Brittany, France) and based for a few years in Capesterre Belle-Eau (Guadeloupe), and visual artist Jean-Marc Louis was created during the first edition of the “Patrimoines en Lumières” festival, held in the capital from May 2 to 5.
Passers-by who had become accustomed to the work, entitled “Ôde à la Créolité”, have noticed that it has been vandalized by unidentified persons over the past few weeks. Indeed, two of the three wooden statues (representing boat masts) have been ripped from their concrete bases and have disappeared.
The theme of the work, curated by Nefta, was the peoples who settled in the capital and, more widely, in Guadeloupe… in other words, the colonization that gave rise to this mixed-race, creolized people.
For the time being, we do not know whether the work will be “repaired” or whether measures will be taken to prevent it being damaged again, such as making the famous statues out of metal and securing them more firmly to the ground. But without a camera, it seems rather difficult to protect this work, “Ôde à la Créolité”, in a public space without neighbors from those who think it is a waste of money because they may not understand its meaning.
