SMITTY’s - a typical beauty sign

"Cut meh hair like the one in de picture", Eastern Main Road, Trinidad, West Indies

This is a typical sign in Trinidad and Tobago. In fact we are going to do many of them to look at typography, illustration and layout design (or lack of). What I like about many signs is where they are placed. You can tell that this one is on the side of a rum shop. In the distance you can see a plastic banner for an alcoholic beverage. These plastic banners became popular for advertising and came to my attention in 2002 during elections.The Sans Serif text for Smithy’s and the rest of the text above the people tells us that the artist was aware of prominence for the sign. I could hear Smithy, or as we say of a name like this, Smitty, saying, ‘Yes, Ah want de name big.” He wants us to know that Smithy is professional and unisex. Now here is the rub, Smithy’s unisex salon shows two paintings of a man and a woman whose hair looks at a glance pretty much the same.

The artist has tried to do what he can, adding earrings on the woman, making her outfit fussy around the neck and even given her makeup. Never easy to do with household paint. But then I also find the text underneath the portraits a bit odd, it does not say specializing in but specialized in? Smithy does not have to know anything more in hairdressing? Maybe he should put some more credentials next to his name? All the specialities are in a variety of colours and the Itallic type style is hard to read sometimes. But for many small business people who ask for signage and print advertising this ‘wedding’ type style is a favourite and shall not be going away anytime soon. - Adele

The Best Of The Worst

A poster of the Soca Warriors Football Team painted on a glass front, Eastern Main Road, Trinidad and Tobago.

This window painting has a peculiar interpretation of the Soca Warriors Football Team and it is an attempt by an artist to give support with all his heart. It is also to promote the slogan, We going Germany. Papa Scratch is the proud man behind this work which is a store front window. Scratch has managed to paint two football players, numbers 0 and 9 with very muscular legs. As shown, the players are jostling to retain control of the ball in their attempt to score a goal. The football net on the other hand seems to brushed off to the side and up against the white barrier fence by a gust of wind.

Then, a fan has thrown a ball into the field to distract these two players, Papa Scratch wants to score an extra by adding a second ball careening into the unprotected net. More frightening is the pilot of a BWIA plane who has decided that he too wants to be part of the match and has diverted his flight towards the stadium field skimming over the heads of the spectators to get a better look. Oh who cares, it is Best Of The Worst.

Just Skills & Education

The law of Muslims in Trinidad and Tobago and a painted (peel-on) icon a hijab wearing girl playing "basketball," The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

No religion has the magic bullet for law and order. However all religions try to exert some sense of it in some sort of public signage. This billboard is tucked away between the two boroughs of St. Joseph and Curepe, and comes before or after arguably the most beautiful mosque in Trinidad and Tobago. The sign attempts to remind Muslims and passers by to avoid certain vices in preference to certain virtues. But what is striking about the one particular icon is the hijab wearing girl playing "basketball," oblivious to the fact that the game is predominately played by males. The sign painter has been asked to show a lot of things in this poster, and the devoted person has packed everything into it. On the side there is an extension that speaks directly to love of country. This signage is one of those head scratcher. On the one hand it attempts to do so much, but who really sees it? - Adele

George Street's “The Innocence”

“The Innocence” painted as a scroll from the left of the painting, the title of this mural, off George Street, Trinidad, West Indies.

George Street, Port of Spain, Trinidad, West Indies is a colourful portrayal of life from the roughest part of the Capital. On Sundays, vegetable vendors set up their makeshift tables to sell parcels of sweet peppers, tomatoes and limes. There is also a market atmosphere and idle men lurch and confront each other with an utterance of words not too suitable on an early Sabbath. Bars are open and patrons “lime” outside on chairs and drink their favourite beverage, “Guinness” and just shit-talk about the topic of the morning, or the events of the night before.


An detail of a child character appearing as an adult with marbles

But at a small open court facing a National Housing complex, an Artist by the name of Rafiki has painted an elaborate wall mural depicting his childhood memories of playing “Pitch,” otherwise known as marbles. What is unusual about this mural is that the characters appears to be drawn as adults, and more puzzling is the child sulking with his thumb in his mouth, and the fairytale lizard that lurks in the background to the far right. Whatever the reasoning behind the concept, an artist has lifted the spirit of an area much neglected by its residents and the city of Port of Spain.

Real Prosperity In Barbering

Sharp as a scissors - Daddy ow


A painting of a hair clipper and crew cut on the wall of Prosperity Barber Salon, Eastern Main Road, Trinidad and Tobago while inside, Sharp trims a boy's head as his father ignores his antics.

Sharp runs this barbering salon and says he's been in business since 1995. Prosperity Barber Salon is famous because politicians, media personalities and celebrities come in frequently to get their hair trimmed. Clients he says include Patrick, namely, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.

So what is so special about this place? The name of cause, Prosperity. And as for Patrick, Sharp keeps to his profession with some small talk as the Security Service keeps an eye through those unusual dark oval windows. Who knows what is discussed behind closed doors besides being # one.

Trinidad Graffiti

Hey, you sleeping here


Graffiti and a homeless man at an abandoned NP gas station in St. James, Trinidad, West Indies.

When this photograph was taken, a homeless man was sleeping on a cardboard box next to mounts of garbage and filth. It is an accurate representation of the level of vagrancy which Trinidad and Tobago is experiencing as it becomes a part of who we are.

The Graffiti on the wall of this bay reads L O U S E. At first the typography was difficult to decipher as it was thought to be J U I C E. This work has been removed. See clues to the word and other forms of graffiti by the Artists and as thebookmann header

While The World Is At War

Sweet sweet Denise - Eh!....Eh!....Eh!.....Eh!....Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh Eh!

Denise Belfon showing off her unique motor skills and understanding the differences between what she projects and who she is.


An Airbrushed work of the entertainer at Carifesta 9 Here is a sample of her in action

Che's Wine Poster

A poster of Che and Ravin at More Vino, Woodbrook, Trinidad.

More Vino is an upscale wine bar catering to those Trinidadians who aim to be the connoisseurs of wine-tasting. Here you can evaluate the bouquet and body of an aged Chablis or Bordeaux. But rarely do the guests follow through with the protocol. These people may as well be sampling the local favorite, Charles Red Spanish Wine. However, the Bookman's focus is on the fact that for five weeks, the lounge at MoreVino has invited two disk jockeys to boost their clientèle. Called the Amateurs.

Che and Ravin work the House with an eclectic mix of tunes - old and new. The Bookman has never heard a tamer House powered through small speakers and closely monitored by the More Vino staff. Woodbrook does not want to go the way of St. James with over the top noise levels. As a residential area it is quickly being replaced with so much commercial business that the old charm fights with choking traffic and the restaurant crowd.


One of Peter Doig's weekly film posters - Packaged and shipped out.

But what is interest in the poster Mr. Lovelace used for this event, and its similarity with Peter Doig’s poster works from his Studio Film Club. It is a surprise to see Mr. Lovelace exploring the possibilities of creating a series of posters based on his observations on deejaying. It may be a long and committed venture with bigger intentions?
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Changing Venue, August 10th, 2006

The Armatures are changing their venue and this time Che Lovelace is producing posters for this gig at a popular night club called Zen

The Soca Warrior's end 2006

No more focking mother cunt flags....game focking done! - The former Soca Warrior captain, Dwight Yorke painted with power paints at the BWIA head office in Port of Spain.

Ukwabuka - Crossing Over - Stary Mwaba

The Artist in Residence, Stary Mwaba, Ukwabuka (Crossing Over) at the InterAmericas space gallery at CCA7, Trinidad. Mwaba says that most of his references are distinctly African.


A detail of an African woman

Mr. Mwaba's work begs the question, how does an African artists' work connect to this part of the world, if at all? On closer observation I noticed some decorative markings throughout his work that reminded me of LeRoy Clarke's decorative embellishments. Whether Mr. Mwaba knows of Mr. Clarke's work is unknown, but I was struck by the similarity in the desire to decorate the surfaces of his canvases. This also led me to think of the Afro-British artist Chris Ofili who's work also has a very detailed, extremely luminous patterning to it. Is it possible that just as the middle passage scattered Africans to the west and created a peoples who added their memories to their new alien landscapes, one can say the same of these aforementioned artists, that an echo of Africa rings true no matter where you may call home.- Adele


Stary Mwaba shows a African we don't wish on ourselves, in poverty, destitution and death, CCA7

A National Hidden Treasure

The Inherent Nobility of Man scale model at the National Museum of Trinidad and Tobago

The National Museum of Trinidad and Tobago rotates a work from their collection and hangs it in their administrative office. These are rare pieces which may not be shown in their public gallery.

This is the scale model of Carlisle Chang’s, The Inherent Nobility of Man which was commissioned for Trinidad and Tobago's independence in 1962. The work was considered an important artwork in Trinidad and Tobago history, and the controversy over its destruction still remains in debate. The 40-foot mural was destroyed during the renovations at the old Piarco International Airport.

Artist's Book Cape Town

Basic covers with an expendable spine.

When you commission an artist book from the Bookman, each work is personalized with the artist in mind, and nothing brings more satisfaction to see it filled with his or her art.


A Collage from 2005/6

Here is a spread from Dean Arlen, and it is a series of drawings and collages he produced during his six month stay in Cape Town, South Africa. He wanted a book which could expand as that he carry things he found in it. The piece looks like an work of Art. See his exhibition of posters at the Museum of Port of Spain, 2005


The working stages of the folds at the back of the spine

This book was the second prototype incorporating an expandable back to accommodate loose documents without the back being broken or covers being bent when closing it. See more book works

An Artist on the loose

A proficient graffiti artist leaves his mark next to a public washroom, adjacent to the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain, Trinidad

The man who is responsible for this drawing is considered as an artist says the security attendant who works from a booth close by. The drawing was completed in a couple of hours and is described by the guard of a man in his late thirties. The portrait shows his ability to draw and understand perspective with the figure expressing some sort of verbal speech. He also has a social conscious by scrawling, think about someone else for a change with a sharp nib next to the drawing.


An street artist asked the question for Trinidadians to be less self absorbed and to think of others once in a while, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Note the skill with the rubbing at the nose bridge.

Setting on a pool of chance money

House, Pool, Car and lucky numbers

A dream transfered onto a van, Trinidad West Indies

The pursuit of happiness comes in many ways, and one sure way is winning a lotto from the Trinidad and Tobago lottery board. So here is an example of the material wealth you should aim for wrapped around this van. If you squint your eyes a bit, the montage looks more like a crumbled car. What unusual luck.

Discover Trinidad and Tobago's Culture - Coffee Table

Alex Smailes' cover of the Blue Devil Mas

Over the years books on photography have been rare and expensive to produce. With improved technology and larger markets, many more books are now out in bookstores. One remembers the work of Noel Norton, but recently, there have been the art of Jackie Hinkson and LeRoy Clarke. Now the work of Stefan Falke, Jeffrey Chock and Alex Smailes are published to give readers a photographic look at the two small Caribbean islands. They are all professional photographers, and all books are all hard cover for its Coffee Table appeal.


Jeffrey Chock's poorly printed book

In the case of the first two, carnival in Trinidad and Tobago, with one emphasizing the Keylemenjahro Moko Jumbies. For those who know the culture of Trinidad and Tobago they are a captured slice of life, and for those for whom the islands are an exotic fantasy, these books offer photographs that show why in all its exaggerated splendor! The most creative compositional interpretations coming from the book by Stefan Falke, who manages to bring a striking sense of novelty to his subject matter. Now available a bit of nostalgia from the eye of three photographers. - Adele


Stefan Falke's Moko Jumbies - The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad, 2004.