“In recent years, hiking into the crater of our local volcano La Soufriere …standing in a space where a lot of our island formations began was very moving to me. Feeling that sort of connection to nature makes me appreciative of my place in the world.” – Nadia Huggins –
The power of a photograph is impossible to measure. Art has always been a way of capturing expression. Whether it’s breathtaking moments of beauty or vulnerability, Nadia Huggins is a visual artist captivating audiences through a unique lens.
Huggins is an accomplished artist from the island of St. Vincent. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Huggins grew up in St. Vincent where she currently resides. Her cultural and emotional connection to her Caribbean heritage fuels her work. Huggins recounts some of her fondest memories growing up —spending time by the river, beach limes (parties) with friends and family and watching the Easter Regatta races in Bequia (boat racing).
Huggins’ whose father was an architect and mother a seamstress, grew up in a household that encouraged creativity. At the age of 18, she began to understand the power of photography and decided to turn it into a career with the support of her parents.
She realized her unique perspective could impact others in a way that would show them the significance of the natural world around them. Art was not just expression but a means of creating a reaction to captured moments.
Although inspiration evolves over time, Huggins’ has been influenced by Caribbean seascapes, landscapes and people all her life. Her work has been featured at the NOW Gallery in the UK, the National Gallery of Jamaica and the Delaware Art Museum in the U.S. among other spaces. As attitudes towards the artistic career path in the Caribbean change, Huggins’ work highlights art in Caribbean culture as a powerful tool of impact.
Huggins is a believer in the arts’ power to change the world. Her latest exhibit titled “HOMO SARGASSUM” featured by the Tout-Monde Art Foundation is a collaborative project between artists and scientists to shed light on the environmental and social impact of sargassum algae. The exhibit tackles climate change and its impact on vulnerable places such as the Caribbean islands. Both human and animal respiratory systems are being permanently damaged by the current sargassum situation, on top of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a combination of striking photographs and in-depth research, viewers are forced to see the damage done by climate change.
“A few of my projects have been concerned with the effects of climate change in small island states which are at the forefront of being some of the most vulnerable places.”
Huggins also believes that passion must drive an artist to work for a cause. Without passion, an artist is likely to burn out and not deliver in the ways they promised. Her passion has fueled her career. Although many parts of the Caribbean are impoverished, this doesn’t hold Huggins her back from proudly representing the Caribbean through photography.
Huggins acknowledges that Caribbean artists face unique challenges when it comes to having their work supported on the art scene. Women in particular are at a disadvantage in the industry as it is historically dominated by men. Huggins hopes that one day, the art world will be in a place where race, gender and sexuality are all set aside for appreciation of the art.
“Men throughout art history have reaped most of the major benefits in terms of recognition and commercial success. We’re at a point now where a lot of gender biases are being challenged. I would like to be at a stage in my career where my gender, race and sexuality are irrelevant to the work I’m doing. If in my statement I have to claim any of these things to justify the value and quality of what I do, then we still have a long way to go.”
Support for artists across various art forms is crucial to bringing Caribbean art to the world according to Huggins. Creating more opportunities for artists to showcase their talents is at the top of her priority list. Huggins hopes to see more platforms that highlight artists’ work in the future, as she believes art can impact global, social and political climates.
When asked one about one thought Huggins would like to leave with fellow artists she leaves us with this:
“Be consistent, be patient, don’t compare yourself to others. Refine your own technique and vision based on previous versions of yourself.”
For more information on Nadia Huggins and her work, visit her website.
Disappearing People by Nadia Huggins
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