The Fondation Clément is GBH's corporate foundation and a major patron of talent in Overseas France seeking to promote and develop the visual arts. Its main aim is to raisethe profile and spread the influence of Caribbean arts and cultural heritage.
By leading patronage programmes in support of the arts and cultural heritage, the Fondation Clément creates solutions and provides tools for artists in Martinique and other regions in Overseas France, sothey might have the same opportunities as other artists, especially those who have settled in otherparts of the world.
The idea for the Foundation came from a simple observation: in the visual arts, artists living andworking creatively in the Caribbean face limitations due to their geographic location and insularenvironment. Not only are they disadvantaged by being cut off from commercial markets, culturaldecision-making centres and major exhibition venues, they are also confined to a narrow art marketand, by consequence, a lack of recognition beyond their region. And yet Martinique, as does Guadeloupe, Guyana and Réunion, produces art that is as creative as it is dynamic and diverse.
The Fondation Clément aspires to be a resource for all visual artists from or with some connection tothe Caribbean. It offers its assistance to the artists who make up the Caribbean today and who spendtheir days practising contemporary art in these regions. The Foundation also supports artists born inthe Caribbean living and practising art around the world. And it plays a part in leading a professionalart scene composed of curators, critics, exhibition designers, facilitators and technicians who areregularly called on to produce projects. Last but not least, as an exhibition venue, the Fondation Clément promotes greater access to culture for a mix of different audiences.
Press kit in French