Lignes rouges

Barreaux

‘‘ The «Barreau» is a word in Creole. During an artistic fellowship in St-Denis, the capital of Reunion Island, organized by LERKA (Forum for research and creation in contemporary art), I took a real interest at this aspect of Creole architecture. ’’

" The portal (or gate) is the first appearance of any residence, and often the only visible one from the street. In Saint-Denis, many of these barreaux have been demolished, pressured by real estate development. Other times the barreaux have remained, although the residences were demolished. This element of architecture, representing the boundary between public and private property, public and private space, also embodies the shift from one era to another. "