Maps of the mind – Adeline Gregoire’s art explores Caribbean movement

VANISHING Lines/Lignes de Fuite, the first solo exhibition by artist, curator and writer Adeline Gregoire, is an ambitious collection she describes as “different types of maps, cartographies of ‘the islands’” – rooted in questions of “history, movement and survival.”

The exhibition, which opened on November 15, features a series of works produced this year.

While her career has largely revolved around interpreting and contextualising the work of others, this show demonstrates Gregoire’s own creative practice, offering viewers a direct encounter with the themes that underpin many of her interests and enthusiasms.

“I set out to create different types of maps,” Gregoire says, reflecting on the central idea behind the series. “Cartographies of ‘the islands’ are my way of thinking about how we exist in a space that carries layers of history, movement and survival. How do the past and present interact to shape who we are and where we move?...It’s about reflecting on the past, understanding the present and imagining the future.”

The exhibition does not present literal maps, then, but rather, abstract interpretations of Caribbean landscapes, layered with references to memory, migration and traces of colonial histories.

Lignes de Fuite, part of its title, translates from French as “lines of flight,” a term Gregoire uses to describe escape routes and movement across both physical and conceptual terrains.

“Vanishing Lines, or ‘Escape Routes,’ is really about the desire to run away, making our escape and finding many ways to live a life on our own terms,” she explains. “In the same way our enslaved and indentured ancestors knew they had to leave the oppression, violence and domination of the colonial plantation system, our present-day lives can feel heavy and filled with struggle. It becomes oppressive sometimes. We all have our ways of navigating that.”

Gregoire’s interest in these issues is informed by Caribbean histories of marronnage – the escape of enslaved people during the colonial era – and the ways those legacies continue to shape contemporary life. She draws parallels between historical acts of flight and modern experiences of migration, exile and displacement.

“So many of us are the direct descendants of our maroon ancestors,” she says. “And so many of us are not free. We are the runaways of our present time.”

Her work combines traditional painting with repurposed materials and mixed-media work that echo the textures of land and memory.

“I use techniques such as ripping materials, distressing paper, exposing them to the elements, compression, layering and erasing, scraping off parts of a painting, then returning to it.

“It’s about translating what I see in the environment, our island landscapes, in a non-figurative way.”

These processes create layered, tactile surfaces, inviting viewers to explore the work both visually and conceptually.

Among the standout pieces in the exhibition is Somewhere in Between, Nou La, which Gregoire describes as “a sort of three-dimensional landscape where you’re supposed to see mountains, coastline and colonial histories all at once. It’s about creating a new type of map that speaks to personal and collective memory.”

Another work, Geographies, incorporates thread to suggest links across spaces divided by man-made borders.

“The idea is really a connected landscape, connected geographies, as in spaces that are so close to each other. Because of man-made borders, we kind of feel like they’re so far away.”

Gregoire encourages engagement with the concepts of history, flight and resilience, though she often prefers visitors to interpret her work freely – “I don’t believe there is one ‘right’ way to read or engage with art,” she says. “I like people to start with what excites them, then decide whether to read the statement before or after. Making art is a conversation. It’s less about telling people what to see and more about sharing ideas.”

The exhibition is curated by Célia Potiron, a writer, cultural essayist and curator from Martinique, based in Paris.

Potiron’s approach draws on her background in Caribbean literature, orality and postcolonial research. Born in 1986 in Martinique, she has curated exhibitions across France and the Caribbean and produced cultural content through podcasts and radio. She co-authored Le Dérangeur: petit lexique en voie de décolonisation (2020), extending her curatorial and cultural practice into critical writing.

Gregoire stresses the importance of working with Potiron, saying a disinterested perspective helped situate the exhibition within wider Caribbean and postcolonial contexts.

“It’s the first time I’ve worked with a curator on my own work, and it has improved the quality of the show tremendously,” she says. “As an artist, I am very close to my work. I can’t curate my own show without losing objectivity. Célia helped me select the best pieces, arrange them thoughtfully, and add depth to the themes.

“We met through a mutual friend, and in the two months leading up to the exhibition, we met two-three times a week to discuss ideas, read, and refine the work. Her input was invaluable.”

Gregoire’s own background is in TT, where she was born in 1981 and grew up in D’Abadie. She returned to the Caribbean in 2008 after studying at university in France.

Her upbringing exposed her to creativity from an early age: her father was a draughtsman, her mother an executive assistant with a passion for gardening and textiles, and extended family often created art in various forms.

“I grew up with my dad at the drawing board, spending my Saturday mornings in fabric stores downtown Port of Spain, and generally an environment where creativity was within reach.”

Gregoire is the editor of Culturego magazine, a creative platform highlighting TT and Caribbean artists, and she curates Hot Sun Caribbean Contemporary Art, another platform that promotes regional contemporary artists.

She described the response to her own exhibition as “fantastic,” saying many viewers spent extended periods observing individual pieces, asking questions and discussing interpretations.

“People really stayed a good while in front of each piece. For me, that’s a good sign. It means they’re taken in and curious about what’s happening in the work.”

Gregoire hopes the pieces will find new homes, but stressed that this engagement and dialogue are equally important.

“The idea is for people to connect with the work and think about the ideas it presents.”

Visitors are encouraged to experience the works in sequence or follow the pieces that speak to them most.

Gregoire has also included a curated soundtrack to accompany the gallery experience

“The soundtrack adds another layer. It helps guide how people feel and move through the space.”

While Vanishing Lines concludes on November 30, it has been a beginning. Gregoire plans to continue producing work that examines Caribbean history, landscape and identity, while also expanding her curatorial and writing projects.

“This exhibition is a stage in an ongoing conversation,” she says. “The ideas I explore here will continue to develop in the next phase of my practice.”

Vanishing Lines/Lignes de Fuite closes on November 30 at the LofTT Gallery, Woodbrook. The exhibition will open from 11 am-6 pm on its final day.