MIAMI – For audiences across South Florida and the Caribbean diaspora, artist Izia Lindsay’s latest solo exhibition arrives as both a cultural reflection and a bold artistic statement rooted in memory, migration, and identity. It is presented by Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator. Riddims of Graffiti explores the intersections of Caribbean heritage, carnival traditions, and contemporary street culture. It does so through a vibrant visual language shaped by Lindsay’s upbringing in Trinidad and Tobago and by his experiences living between Miami and South Dakota.
Opening May 14 at Barry University, the exhibition speaks to Caribbean lives shaped by borders and generations. It reflects how people navigate identity across places and time. Through mixed-media works with graffiti style, symbolism, and postcolonial stories, Lindsay turns personal memory into a wider talk. The work explores diaspora, preservation, and cultural storytelling.
Mixed-media Artist
Born in Trinidad and Tobago and now dividing his time between Miami, Florida, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Lindsay is a mixed-media artist, muralist, and Assistant Professor in Augustana University’s Department of Graphic Design.
His work examines symbolism, Caribbean iconography, graffiti traditions, and postcolonial narratives through a contemporary visual language. This visual language bridges histories, geographies, and visual traditions.
Riddims of Graffiti
For Lindsay, Riddims of Graffiti functions as both a personal archive and an evolving cultural discourse. A major turning point in his artistic development occurred during graduate school. At that time, he began searching for meaning and a visual language within his abstract compositions. Influenced by artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Peter Minshall, Shepard Fairey, Brian MacFarlane, and Marc Ecko, Lindsay came to recognize that his upbringing in Trinidad and Tobago contained a visual language worthy of preservation and reinterpretation.
Izia Lindsay | photo by Sean Black
“My exposure to graffiti culture in New York and later in Miami provided a framework for translating those memories into a contemporary form,” Lindsay reflects. “That intersection ultimately led me to treat my work as both documentation and dialogue.”
Grounded in graffiti traditions, the exhibition traces Lindsay’s artistic growth. It explores how Caribbean cultural memory, street practice, and institutional spaces can intersect. Referencing the exhibition’s title, Lindsay notes, “The walls carry the same stories as the islands.”
Carnival culture remains a foundational influence throughout the exhibition. Growing up immersed in Trinidad’s mas, a performative spectacle, Lindsay came to understand art as movement, sound, symbolism, and communal ritual. By applying an urban graffiti aesthetic to Caribbean iconography, his work creates a layered visual experience that feels both immediate and expansive.
The contrast between Miami and South Dakota has also become central to Lindsay’s creative process. While Miami offers cultural proximity and energy that align with his Caribbean perspective, South Dakota offers reflection and clarity.
“The contrast sharpens my awareness of audience, context, and visual language,” Lindsay says. “The natural surroundings here are striking and continue to influence my ideas.”
As a Caribbean artist navigating the global contemporary art world, Lindsay remains intentional about resisting simplified narratives about Caribbean identity.
“There is often a tendency to flatten Caribbean identity into a single narrative, which can obscure its complexity,” he explains. “I address this by being deliberate in my symbolism and by layering multiple cultural references into the work.”
At this stage in his career, receiving the 2026 DVCAI Catalyst Fellowship for mid-career exhibition production is especially significant. The fellowship coincides with DVCAI’s 30th anniversary and affirms Lindsay’s work within a broader cultural and diasporic context.
“It feels like a meaningful acknowledgment from a community that has long championed Caribbean artists and cultural exchange,” Lindsay says. “The fellowship affirms the relevance of my work and provides strong momentum as I continue my work.”
The exhibition is curated by Rosie Gordon-Wallace, with exhibition design by Danielle Coates, MA. It is accompanied by a catalog featuring essays by Dr. Cristin McKnight Sethi, DVCAI Scholar-in-Residence, and Mariah Fox, MFA, co-author of New York City of Kings: A History of New York City Graffiti. These essays deepen the exhibition’s engagement with symbolism, material culture, and Caribbean visual language.
Q&A WITH IZIA LINDSAY
Your exhibition is described as both a personal archive and a cultural discourse. Were there turning points in your journey that profoundly shaped your approach to creating this body of work?
A major turning point came as I searched for meaning and a visual language within my abstract compositions. Much of this discovery unfolded during my graduate studies, where I was influenced by artists such as Marc Ecko, Shepard Fairey, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Peter Minshall, and Brian MacFarlane. Their work helped me recognize my voice and understand that my upbringing in Trinidad and Tobago carries a visual language of deep cultural significance that I should preserve and reinterpret. My exposure to graffiti culture in New York and later in Miami also provided a framework for translating those memories into a contemporary form. That intersection ultimately pushed me to treat my work as both documentation and dialogue.
Carnival culture appears throughout the exhibition. How has growing up in Trinidad shaped your artistic language?
Growing up in Trinidad, I never saw carnival as just an event. It was movement, sound, storytelling, resistance, and community. That energy shaped how I understand visual language. The layering, rhythm, and symbolism within mas and Caribbean street culture continue to influence how I build compositions and communicate ideas in my work.
Spending time in both Miami and South Dakota must present striking contrasts. In what ways do these environments shape your creative process?
Miami offers cultural proximity and energy that align with my Caribbean perspective, while South Dakota provides space for reflection and clarity. The contrast sharpens my awareness of audience, context, and visual language. Miami’s strong Caribbean community and its proximity to the region made frequent visits easy and helped maintain that connection. Now in South Dakota, the landscape is different and offers a new environment for growth. I am excited to see how this setting shapes my work. The natural surroundings here are striking and continue to influence my ideas.
Navigating the international art world as a Caribbean artist can be challenging. What has that experience been like for you?
There is often a tendency to flatten Caribbean identity into a single narrative, which can obscure its complexity. I address this by being deliberate in my symbolism and by layering multiple cultural references into the work. Positioning my practice within both local and international contexts helps broaden how that narrative is understood.
At this stage in your career, what does receiving the 2026 DVCAI Catalyst Fellowship mean to you personally?
DVCAI has consistently supported artists, and I am grateful that my path has aligned with theirs as they celebrate their 30th anniversary. I truly value the opportunity to focus on the work, let it speak for itself, and be part of a community that recognizes the depth of an artist’s journey. I look forward to sharing this solo exhibition as part of that ongoing dialogue. It feels like a meaningful acknowledgment from a community that has long championed Caribbean artists and cultural exchange. The fellowship affirms the relevance of my work within a broader cultural context and provides strong momentum as I continue my work. I am also thankful to Barry University for the space, time, and the team’s efforts.
As both an artist and an educator, do your students influence your creative practice?
My students constantly challenge me to stay current and keep experimenting. In many ways, the classroom becomes an extension of my studio because they inspire me daily. It is always rewarding to see how they interpret and approach ideas and assignments.
Looking ahead, what role do you hope Riddims of Graffiti will play in the broader conversation about Caribbean contemporary art?
This body of work situates my practice within a broader conversation about diaspora, identity, and visual language. I see it as a defining moment that expands how Caribbean contemporary practice can be understood and reinterpreted through a different lens. By applying an urban graffiti aesthetic to Caribbean iconography, the work bridges histories, geographies, and visual traditions, creating a sense of both immediacy and expansiveness.
Schedule of Events
Exhibition Run: May 14 – August 14, 2026 Opening Reception: Thursday, May 14, 2026, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Artist Talk: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
