Curtis Santiago’s dioramas present miniature scenes in which he evokes contemporary problems encountered in his daily life: racism, police vio- lence, migration and his Carib- bean origins.
But these miniature dioramas, encased in their precious lit- tle boxes, are also portable works of art. When closed, they fit into a pocket and can go anywhere with their owner. This can be a way of keeping on oneself something special and beloved. Portable minia- ture art isn’t something new – Marcel Duchamp’s Box in a Suitcase comes to mind – but today it seems more relevant than ever, “the best means for a vagabond or an exile to pos- sess things”, in a world where nomadism can also become a way of life.
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