The Hand of (The Bookman) thebookmann's name is absent from the list to enter the gates of bacchanal
An illustration of Bookman or Gownman from the Heritage Library of Trinidad and Tobago
The Bookman or Gownman is a feature of devil mas portrayals. The costume consists of Tudor-style pants, or embroidered gown made of velvet and satin, with a pleated or fluted bodice and a cape festooned with a biblical scene.
Detail of the cape
The bookman carries a pen and a large book where he writes the names of prospective souls for the devil. The bookman is the principal character in the devil band characters, the others are the imps and beasts. Known as the Ruler, he performs in dance by a waltz-like movement with intermit bowing. The musical accompaniment may be a orchestra of trumpet, saxophones, bass or drums playing conventional tunes.
The headpiece is an oversized mask with mounted horns and the mask that mirrors the face of (Lucifer) himself
The series of these photographs are characters from traditional Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago. Sadly it is a vanishing Art. (Elements of the text from the Heritage Library of Trinidad and Tobago)
The Bookman out of newsprint called "Rights of Passage" Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles Artists in residence, CCA7 See the complete project
thebookmann
Tags: Trinidad Traditional Carnival Characters Bookman Devil RichardBolai thebookmann
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Dear All,
Please come and come back to ROTUNDA GALLERY located at 33 Clinton Street in Brooklyn Heights to experience
MAS': FROM PROCESS TO PROCESSION, introduces six artists and one art collective who take inspiration from the Caribbean carnivals of Trinidad--popularly known as Mas', short for masquerade--the Dominican Republic and Curacao, as well as from the American festivals of New York's Halloween and New Orleans' Mardi Gras. Coming from or having worked in the Caribbean; the artists in the exhibition recognize Carnival as a potent vehicle for an art practice with a public reach and a global appeal.
MAS' was curated by Claire Tancons and features the works of Laura Anderson Barbata, Nicolas Dumit Estevez, Stefan Falke, Marlon Griffith, Karyn Olivier, Superior Concept Monsters (Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles) and Caecilia Tripp.
The exhibition will run through October 20.
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