Minier: A Suspicious Surname

Zuania Minier works with sculpture and ceramics to highlight the plurality of the Caribbean, starting from her own childhood experience between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. In fragments, Minier: un apellido sospechoso narrates personal stories from her upbringing, as well as those of her family. From one handkerchief to the next, Minier recounts her experiences between the two islands, culminating in an affirmation of her identities within a single handkerchief. The
materials that Minier uses to “stain” the handkerchiefs (coffee from the Dominican Republic, clay from Orocovis, and charcoal from Haiti) are intentionally highlighted by Minier in the artwork’s description, linking her personal story with the histories of these territories.