VERNACULAR A LA MODE

VERNACULAR A LA MODE

VERNACULAR A LA MODE

VERNACULAR A LA MODE

Dominique Hunter

Concepts of “here” and “there,” within the Caribbean context and viewed through
a lens of binary opposition, point to a distorted perception that stems from how
the region’s residents are typically trained to consider each space (i.e. anywhere
else is better than “here”).
I’m interested in how we navigate those spaces; what we take with us; and the
artificial systems designed to control our movement. I use my own dependence
on what I call “mini migrations” to examine the experiences of those of us who,
while rooted in a very particular space, find relief and discomfort at the cusp of
both spaces.
My most recent body of work has expanded to include personal strategies for
coping with the weight of those impositions by examining the value of self-care
practices to improved mental health and quality of life. The result of this
expansion has allowed for an additional and often under-examined facet of the
black female experience to be brought to the fore, that is, unexploited
vulnerability in all of the many ways it can manifest itself.