An exhibition of photos of LGBT artists installed in front of a cultural center in Fort-de-France was vandalized and covered with homophobic tags, the mayor of the capital of Martinique announced on Monday, October 7, in a press release, denouncing an act “ intolerable ».
“The mayor of the city of Fort-de-France, Didier Laguerre, deplores the destruction of the ‘Lanmou Nou’ exhibition on the gates of the Camille-Darsières space”wrote the town hall in a press release published Monday evening, denouncing “an act of vandalism” that he judges “just as intolerable” that the “homophobic and xenophobic posters” pasted on the photographic works on display.
“I am disappointed but above all saddened for the artists”reacted Tuesday October 8 to Agence France-Presse (AFP) the photographer Adeline Rapon, organizer of the competition and curator of the exhibition. “But it motivates me to continue working on this subject in Martinique”she added.
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Two complaints filed
Organized by Kap Caraïbe, a local association defending the rights of homosexual, bisexual and trans people, the exhibition “Lanmou Nou” (“Our love” in Creole) was inaugurated on September 23 on the gates of a park in downtown Fort-de-France, opposite the court of appeal, and was to end on Monday.
The first exhibition of this type organized on public roads on the island, it offered nine photos taken by artists from the LGBT community in Martinique, Guadeloupe and the West Indian diaspora in France.
The works were defaced on October 3, on the sidelines of a demonstration which took place in front of the court of appeal. Their voluntary destruction constitutes “an attack” against “efforts to promote tolerance” and reveals “a climate of hatred (…) which should have no place in our Martinique society”deplored Kap Caraïbe in a press release.
Two complaints were filed, by the director of the association and by the structure’s lawyer.
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