“CARIBBEAN ART & CULTURE: INSPIRED STORIES & CREATIONS” – PANEL

ARTHUR FRANCIETTA is a Martinique-born artist, designer, and typographer who seamlessly blends graphic design, visual art, and cultural heritage in his work. His innovative approach to asemic writing – a form of writing without literal meaning – creates symbolic visual languages rooted in Caribbean history and traditions, drawing on influences like Anaforuana and Vévé. Francietta’s art explores themes of ancestral memory, the sacred connection between humans and nature, and the deep cultural legacy of the Caribbean. As founder of Studio de Création Bureau Blindé, he has made a significant impact on the visual and graphic design landscape of Martinique and the broader Caribbean, pushing the boundaries of contemporary art in the region.  

ESTELLE-SARAH BULLE is a French author of Guadeloupean and Belgian descent who was born in Créteil, France. Basses Terres (Liana Levi) is her third novel. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, Where Dogs Bark with Their Tails/Là où les chiens aboient par la queue (Farrar, Straus and Giroux), won several prestigious literary awards, including the Prix Stanislas Julien and the Prix Carbet de la Caraïbe et du Tout-Monde. Through her vibrant storytelling and poetic language, Bulle explores the complexities of Caribbean identity, cultural memory, and colonial legacies, drawing on her heritage to create rich narratives that span Guadeloupe and its diaspora. In addition to her adult fiction, she has authored children’s books such as Les Fantômes d'Issa (EDL), and her work continues to illuminate the intersections of race, history, and belonging​.

GARY VICTOR is one of Haiti’s most celebrated contemporary authors, known for his satirical and often fantastical portrayal of Haitian society. Born in Port-au-Prince in 1958, he is the son of renowned sociologist René Victor. Initially trained in agronomy,  Victor transitioned into journalism and literature, quickly becoming one of Haiti’s most widely read authors. His works include novels, short stories, and plays, often addressing themes of political corruption, social injustice, and the complexities of Haitian life.

GERDA CADOSTIN, born in Haiti in 1958 and now residing in France, is an emerging voice in Caribbean literature. Her debut novel, Laisse folie courir, vividly portrays the lives of three generations of women in the fictional village of Guérot. Drawing on Haiti's rich cultural heritage, Cadostin weaves a narrative that blends humor, mysticism, and the raw realities of womanhood. With lyrical prose and deeply rooted connections to Creole folklore, Laisse folie courir captures the resilience of its characters while exploring the enduring complexities of tradition and identity. Cadostin’s writing offers a fresh, audacious perspective on Haitian life and culture.

MICHAEL ROCH is a French Caribbean author and screenwriter, and a prominent voice in Afrofuturism and speculative fiction. Born in Lyon, France, in 1987, Roch now resides in Martinique, where his writing deeply engages with the cultural and historical intricacies of the Caribbean. He’s the author of the novel Tè Mawon (Volte) and, previously, Moi, Peter Pan, and Le Livre Jaune, works that further demonstrates his ability to weave complex narratives around decolonization, social upheaval, and the search for self in a postcolonial world.

NICOLAS DOYARD is a professional in cultural and international cooperation, with more than 25 years of impactful experience across continents. Starting in television documentary production, he quickly pivoted to the French cultural network abroad, first as a consultant at Namibian Broadcasting Corporation in Windhoek, Namibia, and then as an audiovisual attaché for Southern Africa based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Upon returning to France in 2012, he coordinated the French leg of the South African Season under the auspices of the South African Ministry of Culture. He then joined the Institut Français, where he served as a performing arts project manager for several cross-cultural seasons, including the Year of France-Korea, the Singapore Festival in France, and the France-Croatia Festival. In 2016, Doyard moved abroad once more to lead the Franco-Guinean Cultural Center in Conakry. Three years later, back in Paris, he coordinated the Digital Lab Africa program, an incubation initiative for digital creation (XR/VR, video games, animation, digital art) in sub-Saharan Africa, implemented through the South African incubator Tshimologong. In 2021, Doyard joined the International Affairs department of the French Ministry of Culture as officer for Africa and performing arts, where he dedicated three years to advancing the Ministry's transformational agenda with African nations. Since September 2024, he has taken on the role of cultural and education attache/director of Villa Albertine in Miami.

PHILOMÉ ROBERT is a Haitian journalist, presenter, and author who has gained recognition for his debut novel, Vagabondages éphémères (Caraibéditions). Born in 1975, Robert studied law and applied linguistics in Haiti before beginning his career in journalism at Radio Vision 2000. After being forced into exile due to political persecution, he settled in France, where he became a presenter for France 24.

ZAKA TOTO is a Martinique-born writer, publisher, and cultural innovator, best known for founding Zist, a digital magazine that brings together diverse voices from the Caribbean and beyond to explore ideas, arts, and cultural scholarship. A doctoral student in history at the University of the French Antilles, Toto focuses his research on postnationalism and the political identities and independence movements of the French Caribbean. Through Zist, he fosters a space for critical reflection on cultural decolonization and creative expression, helping to amplify underrepresented voices. His work contributes to the Caribbean’s intellectual landscape and supports a broader dialogue on the intersection of politics, history, and culture.