Melissa Alcena
Melissa Alcena
People of the Sun
7” x 8.5"
softcover
48 pages
First Edition
Kris Graves Projects
About the Book:
“The Bahamas has suffered a lot in the past couple of years-enduring the aftermath and unfathomable devastation of Hurricane Dorian and then receiving another massive blow, that was the Covid-19 pandemic shortly after.
As an artist whose creations at the time were totally reliant upon my interactions with Bahamians in the everyday, to say that this time had been difficult for me would be an understatement. But with the introduction of safety protocols and vaccines, I was able to adjust my process and continue to create images…”
Melissa Alcena is a Bahamian portrait and documentary photographer based between The Bahamas and NYC. Alcena’s practice has been the lens through which she has reintroduced herself to the Bahamian landscape, after studying in Canada. Through this exploration and reintroduction, Alcena documents people in situ, expanding the visual tropes often exported from the Caribbean. Often in conversation with her subjects, Alcena’s photographs are a testament to kinship and an ode to the landscape.
Image courtesy of KGP
Book review by Robert Bell |
The Bahamas is often seen as paradise—a postcard-perfect escape hiding the real place.
Many visitors arrive by plane, stay at a resort, and admire the turquoise water—always from a distance.
Paradise means something different to everyone. My view shifted when I saw Melissa Alcena’s People of the Sun. Her work shows the Bahamas as a home for its people, full of daily beauty and natural grace—not just a backdrop for tourism.
The tourism industry shapes outsider views through resort marketing and its economic impact, so visitor impressions come from polished images shaped by money rather than authentic experiences. This contrast often hides the energy of local life, but Alcena’s photos uncover that hidden reality.
Image courtesy of KGP
Alcena notes that many of the shots came by chance, more guided by being present than by intent. This surrender to luck fills every frame. Nothing is orchestrated or forced. Still, each image reflects the photographer’s unique perspective.
A woman cradles her child as their piercing eyes gaze right into the viewer's soul. Two childhood friends soar mid-air on a low-branch swing; a man leads his horse along the shore, blending into the horizon; another relaxes with a cigarette, enjoying a quiet moment. These scenes are not grand events, but small wonders that shape everyday life.
The photos feel close, full of life, and honest. The colors are bright and natural, lively but never exaggerated. Alcena carefully composes each shot to draw your eye without overpowering the scene. The landscape recedes, the focus shifts: Black skin is foregrounded—tender yet powerful.
Image courtesy of KGP
Image courtesy of KGP
In the introduction, Alcena acknowledges storms, both literal and figurative, that shadow these photos. Hurricane Dorian's aftermath and the Covid-19 pandemic which brought life to a halt for a small nation with an outsized spirit.
Black people everywhere understand the burden of struggle. Survival becomes part of the story. History leaves its mark. Alcena’s portraits show this truth without needing words. Her subjects’ strength shines through, as bright as sunlight on water.
In the end, beauty is found in the endurance and quiet strength of the people who live under the sun. Paradise is resilience.
Image courtesy of KGP
