When Billy Gerard Frank returned to his homeland of Grenada to film his offering for Grenada’s Pavilion in 2019, little did he know how far that effort would take him.
His short film, “Second Euology: Mind the Gap” was well received in Europe for its edgy subject matter, and the lush, tropical scenes of the Grenada landscape became a star themselves. The attention carried on, so that he was then invited to show the film in the prestigious Brooklyn Museum to a capacity crowd. Many other invitations ensued — heads had been turned. Subsequently, Frank was engaged by Yale University to teach a class in filmmaking. Quite a leap for a young man from Petite Martinique.
As a member of the Cypher Art Collective of Grenada, now preparing for an appearance at Venice in 2022, Frank returned to Grenada again to film. This time, his subject his is a short film of Cuguano, an African enslaved, brought to Grenada, manumitted as a servant in the UK, and became an abolitionist whose writings were instrumental in the cessation of the African slave trade. Cuguano died unknown, but his life is now being celebrated by Frank.
Frank will be in discussion about his film with Thomas Allen Harris, a Senior Lecturer at Yale, in a series of conversations put on by the Yale Centre for British Art. You can listen Friday, 25 February at 1 pm Grenada Time (AST) by registering at this link https://britishart.yale.edu/exhibitions-programs/home-artists-conversation-billy-gerard-frank.
Frank comments, “The relevance of my participation in La Biennale di Venezia for second time as a native of Petite Martinique now living in the United States for the past 20 years is both personally profound and deeply prophetic when questioning larger themes around Cultural Heritage, Identity, Colonialism, and Selfhood. I welcome any opportunity to represent my native island and engage in conversations; bring stories that are uniquely ours to a global audience.”
This once again this highlights the importance of Grenada’s participation at La Biennale in Venice. Our artists are recognised worldwide, and our stories are told to an engaged audience. On the practical side, the work of the film was done entirely in Grenada, thus jobs being provided for actors, videographers, bus drivers, caterers, and accommodations. This is how Grenada’s investment into the arts through the Ministry of Culture and the National Lottery Authority gives back. This is just the tip of the iceberg as to what is possible from the creative economy for Grenada.
The Grenada Pavilion in Venice will open 22 April 2022 and continue until the end of November. For 7 months, Grenada will have an outpost in the heart of Europe. Click the link and join the conversation!
Grenada Arts Council
Well done Billy. I remember you helping at my sixtieth Birthday Party at Mornejaloux.
Delighted to read about the achievement of this native of Petite Martinique. Amazing! Go Billy.