bw 12

transcript |  the gates | up

Man’s voice: Next! (Sound of chains) Go on! Next one! Come on boy! Next one! Come on boy! Bring up the next slave! Come on, walk up! Move faster!

artist profile | denyse ménard-greenidge | up

Denyse Ménard-Greenidge’s soundscape, “The Gates”, provides an artistic interpretation of an important site in Bridgetown’s history as a trading post during the time of slavery. The artist describes her intervention in this way: “The chains were rattling slowly and painfully announcing the line-up of slaves that were to be delivered to the masters who had just concluded purchasing them. The auctioneer (slave seller) who had to proceed to the delivering of this "substantial shipment" was impatient and yelling after a slave who could not care less about the efficiency nor the modality of the operation. The hinges of the gate were reluctantly squeaking and squealing fearfully at the delivery of each slave, concluding with a loud scary bang that indicated the finality and the sad fate of this individual”.

Denyse Ménard-Greenidge holds an MA from Concordia University in Montreal as well as qualifications from the Université du Québec and L’École des Beaux Arts in Montreal. Since settling in Barbados, she has had an extensive career in the visual arts on the island including owning an art gallery from 1978-1984, teaching at the Barbados Community College from 1976-1998, and heading the Division of Fine Arts there from 1990-1998. She has exhibited widely since 1968 and currently works as an art consultant and Curator. She is a member of ICOM and until recently was a Member of the Board of the National Cultural Foundation (1994-2006).