Concrete blocks have come to symbolize many things in my work—construction, destruction, reconstruction, ruin, power, dominance, weight, barriers. They have become windows through which to observe aspects of our culture which are still under construction. These meanings stem from the use of blocks in construction and their strength to fortify us, in the Caribbean, against hurricane winds. However, this use at times belies the fragility of the blocks, and instead the blocks stand as markers for our economic deficiencies. For instance, numerous articles have been published about the substandard quality of concrete blocks made in Jamaica. Unregistered block makers sometimes use inferior aggregates in the block formula to cut costs, which potentially affects the structural integrity of buildings made with these materials. This is common across the Caribbean, as demonstrated most significantly in the aftermath of the massive earthquake which destroyed sections of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 2010. Rubble still covers sections of the city, and rebuilding efforts are still underway more than ten years later.

The complete overview of  Camille Chedda’s featured work can be found in the Kingston Biennial 2022: Pressure Catalogue, which is available for sale in the NGJ Gift Shop.