La Vaughn Belle (Born 1974, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago; active Saint Croix, United States Virgin Islands) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work focuses on the often-forgotten colonial narratives embedded in the architecture and material culture of contemporary society. Her practice frequently centers on the Caribbean island of Saint Croix—long claimed as a territory by various European nations, including nearly 200 years as a colony of Denmark, before being sold to the US in 1916.
La Vaughn Belle, Installation of “The House That Freedoms Built” in Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Photo: Elliot Goldstein © Smithsonian Institution
For the entryway to the museum, Belle designed three structures inspired by the shapes of 18th-century houses built by formerly enslaved people who negotiated their freedom and were allowed to settle in Christiansted, Saint Croix. The architectural embellishment known as fretwork adorning each structure is a nod to homes in the town of Frederiksted. The community was the site of the 1878 Fireburn rebellion, an important labor revolt that resulted in much of the town being destroyed. Residents added these fretwork designs to their houses during Frederiksted’s reconstruction. Through thoughtful engagement with St. Croix’s architecture and history, Belle not only honors the legacy of resilience and creativity on the island but also invites viewers to reflect on the complex narratives of colonization and cultural heritage that continue to shape contemporary society.
Powerhouse Arts fabrication by Brittni Collins, Cuba, Jeremy Gender, Devon Petrovits, Vivian Pullan, Daniel Quinn, Alec Reed, Ben Reyes, and Rich Watts. Special thanks to Frandelle Gerard, Executive Director of Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism (CHANT), and to apprentices Jomahal Sanes and Watejah James, who participated in the Constructed Manumissions workshop as a part of the CHANT Building Arts Institute. This workshop was funded by the Virgin Islands Council of Arts and Artplace America and generated some designs used in this structure.