By: Precious Mills
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Tuesday 20th September 2022) — “I say whatever your dream is, dream big and believe in yourself and the power to redesign yourself and your life.” This was advice offered by the keynote speaker at the Prime Minister’s Independence Lecture Series, well-known lecturer and photographer Tau Battice — who originally hails from St. Kitts-Nevis and is now based in New York City — during his presentation on Thursday 14th September 2022 at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort in Frigate Bay. The session was part of the Independence Anniversary calendar of activities under the theme ‘Refocus, Re-create, Redesign: Independence 39.’
Battice spoke about his ongoing photographic project ‘Liamuiga Love Oualie Ovation,’ which seeks to make portraits of Kittitians and Nevisians as a mirror to remind them of their own beauty. “Photography is not a small thing for me. I aim to make my people look good. At least when you think you look good, you feel good, you exude confidence — and we are reminded by the honourable Marcus Garvey that if you have no confidence in self, you’re twice defeated in the race of life; with confidence, you’ve won even before you started. I am here to make my contribution to the national confidence, the national self-esteem.” On creative visualization: “Move with intentionality in developing a healthy vision and develop the discipline to stick with it. Imagine the outcome. Begin with the outcome and constantly refocus on that outcome.” He also touched on his plans for a photographic monograph of Kittitians and Nevisians to be permanently housed in the national archives: “One hundred years from now, people can stare at and converse with these dignified Liamuigans and Oualians. I have visualized the book, the exhibition and the permanent collection. Time and again and with health and strength, it will be.”