Artists of St Barth

Michael Doudeau transforms aluminium and other alloys into towering, unique palm trees.

The palm tree is the quintessential symbol of the Caribbean and an essential part of island life, offering protection from the sun and a source of food for locals and voyagers. 

In St Barth, it has become an unmistakable part of the island’s landscape and identity. Normally swaying in the wind and vibrant in color, Michael Doudeau’s palm trees are metallic and stand firmly in the ground. Rather than reproducing the palm in naturalistic detail, he reduces it to its essential form: a simple trunk and a crown of leaves. Through this deliberate selection and reduction, he shares his vision of the palm not simply as a tree, but as an icon of the Caribbean and of St Barth.