Brooklyn Museum: Exhibitions: Infinite Island: Contemporary Caribbean Art

Jean-Ulrick Désert (b. Haiti; works in Germany and United States). The Burqa Project: On the Borders of My Dreams I Encountered My Double's Ghost, 2002. Mannequins and textiles, 63 x 118 in. (160 x 300 cm). Courtesy of the artist

Artist Statement

Francis Bacon is quoted as saying "The job of the artist is to deepen the mystery." In this and my other works, through the use of conspicuous invisibility and the transparency of shared associations, the mystery remains elusive. My works may be viewed as a desire to reconstruct and defy fixed identity in my artistic practice, to be "present" and to be "invisible" by choice and by circumstance.

28 Comments

I don't know who likes this message. That's it.

— Posted by Milo and Gabriel

I LIKE THIKS EVEN THOUGH IT IS KIND OF CREEPY I LIKE IT

— Posted by JORDAYNE LAMEY

i love the way the colors of the flags are and how they represent there cultures

— Posted by Amilia Velazquez And Sierra Daniels

people under flags about there country

— Posted by lansha fearon

The work of art was amazing and creative i would have never thought of it.It is also powerful because it could have a meaningto it.

— Posted by Idris

i love the art you have

— Posted by havr

love the hijabs.

— Posted by nev douglas

okay i still don't get it

— Posted by person's friend

okay i guess

— Posted by person

The caption is incorrect. A burka is NOT "traditional Muslim dress for women." In fact it is only worn in a few countries. The marjority of Muslim women around the world do NOT wear this type of garb. The curator should do some more research, because a burka is a relatively new type of dress, thus can not be "traditional."

— Posted by

this was cool and very informative. i never knew muslim women's garments were called burkas

— Posted by Vaentine

really cool!

— Posted by sar

THIS IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL ACT MUSEUM I LIKE TO THE PICTURE AND THE VIDEOS ESPECIALLY THE JAMAICAN VIDEO

— Posted by NORSHARE

for me it meant cowardice - how each nation hides behind a cloak spewing out doctrine indiscrimantely and blindly in the name of imperialism

— Posted by pbr

it makes me question the american burka i was born with - the female burka, the jewish burka - the guise and lens through which i see the world and how the world may choose to see me

— Posted by harper

this was really cool and i think that its creative. this would be a way to show different culture

— Posted by catherine Grant

I thought this piece was really great, I didn't realize that the flags had been turned into burkas upon first glance. I think it is very cleaver & creative!

— Posted by Canon

very profond

— Posted by alaica keys

negerhosen: last row of frames are unfortunately way too high to be viewed in detail. otherwise - fantastic!

— Posted by sylvia

this is rediculous. I have no idea what these are. What a horrible experience here

— Posted by Nick

the only thing more played out than burka art is barbie doll art ... sorry

— Posted by tommy suharto

THIS IS SO GOOD

— Posted by ZINGA

arresting, bold, clean and simple yet it asks so many questions and poses so many arguments.

— Posted by nadia

Great show! PowerfuI! I really enjoyed the work of artist Desert and apprecited his present and the fact I could talk /questioned the artist . The artistic perspective of Desert`s work enticed me to explore his art further. Thanks! Danke!

— Posted by Mavinga !

A beautifull piece of work going beyond the simplicity much modern art suffers from today. In its dealing with topics such as national and cultural identity it creates something like an optical illusion - revealing of how much our mind processes cultural signs without consciously reflecting on them.

— Posted by J. Hausknecht

Extremely well portrayed. Loved how each figure represented something so meaningful for different countries, as well as people's nationality.

— Posted by Nadine Lecoin

Funny how all the reviewers talk about this work; these Burqa as relevant today as when shown in the Tenement Museum, and clearly put up as a statement at beginning of exhibit. Désert's Negerhosen project of photos and commentary near end of exhibit is fascinating, and fun, and seems to have escaped most reviewers' attention (and could use a ladder, as with Satch Hoyt's "Say it loud!" so we could read and enjoy all of the Negerhosen).

— Posted by T Jackson

powerful especially for this time in the world and whats going on inside of it within each country

— Posted by isha