A day of Art

On the 26th of January, there were a number of shows to go to in Port-of-Spain. At Y Gallery, a group show on the theme of Mas, at In2Art, Edward Bowen's recent works and at Horizon's Art Gallery the work of Brian Wong Won.

With so much art to look at, it was a very good day. In Belmont the artists, Marlon Griffith, Jamie Lee Loi and Nicholai Noel created an installation in an empty lot that deals with their personal concerns about crime in Trinidad and Tobago.

With so much to see, I felt quite filled and fulfilled by a day spent looking at and socializing around art. On the one hand, the carnival shows attempt to create a nostalgia about what is mas imagery, and Peter Sheppard was able to capture the whimsical side of that question, as did Brian Wong Won. Edward Bowen's show on the other hand had nothing to do with carnival, but a lot to do with colour and collage technique.

Mr. Bowen's show has taken a slightly different bend from his shows of the past. Here at In2Art, Mr. Bowen's work takes on a very light, almost mellow intention. Usually, his technical skill is such that he embroiders his paintings with personal hieroglyphics that give the pieces an air of dark magic. One wonders what is the motivation to fill every open space with loose scrawls that lie on the surface in dramatic ways. In this show, that is still apparent, but the colour is the main attraction, as it speaks from canvas to canvas.

The huge contrast between those shows and the three artist installation is worth a look, as they grapple with a very emotional issue, creating a sort of CSI crime scene across from a PNM constituency office and an actual high crime area. - Adele