This painting is in a place which you would least expect. Located on the upper floor of a decrepit building which is at its last stage of standing. Within the filth, the painting exhibits an American bald eagle cruising in flight over a panoramic backdrop of a sky, terrain and sea. It measures over 5x3 feet in size and is one of two pitted and marked painted murals soon to be destroyed by the elements of decay. Yet, the work stands for a freedom from the reins of man, to a place far and beyond his shores. Free in his fulfillment and deed. To a better future and life his can call his own.
This mural has been destroyed. ................................................................................................................
Dear readers please note: thebookmann project began in 2004, and focused on documenting wall paintings, architecture, posters, typography, street graffiti and other kitsch based works in the environment that generally went unnoticed, but thrived in plain sight.Since then, thebookmann has become the source of Art pertaining to Trinidad and Tobago and has been approached by artists, curators, museums, universities and newspapers. This means a comprehensive overhaul is required to insure the consistency. Until further notice, thebookmann is temporarily closed.
It figures, I guess. That those who have done yeoman service for Trinidad and Tobago ultimately find themselves in the depressing condition of having to beg for sponsorship and support when there is just no other way to carry on otherwise.
In another place, there would be ten thousand comments here, with corporate, and other sponsors falling over themselves to get involved. But this is Trinidad: every man for himself. We've got apathy in our genes, and we, deliberately or otherwise, strangle the bright lights among us until they fade away, leaving us the poorer.
"A gem among ruins", indeed. I hope things work out for you, and I hope also that some lights do not fade. - Rory
In Princess Town, Trinidad, this lovely wall painting has a keen sense of perspective and detail. The work is located in an abandon lot, and it is enclosed by a fence. The painting advertises Zion Sports Academy. The Kick boxer is posed to lambaste your ass with his leg raised to your eye level. This of cause is called a confu kick, and if your reflex timing is off, the force of it would have had you pelting through the air and landing in the Caroni sugar cane patch.
The rendition exhibits the skill of the painter, and his attention to the sole of his subject's foot, and of his karate rank in uniform. The Black Belt needs to have his foot washed, but me not telling he dat, before meh neck get break ***
Working from home with natural remedies, Manzanilla, Trinidad
At the hedge of a windy hill, a small plywood dwelling stands on stilts near to the open Atlantic by a beach called Manzanilla. This is a tourist shop which has an assortment of varnished turtle shells and tiger shark jaws including a natural remedy for all ailments for an example, like radiation. Mr. Monilo calls it, Shark and liver oil.
Mr. Monilo manufactures this remedy and works with a zealous sales-pitch performed as an evangelist in front of his congregation. This is in effort to buy something and the entrepreneur makes every attempt to recite all the literature extracted from a medicine book on his desk. His rate of his speech increased as you were about to leave and you could not leave empty handed. The sale of his special shark oil covers the cost of his Puncheon Rum flasks which he uses as Shark and liver oilrefills.
You have a sedative or suffer from heart palpitations? You need to take a pill because these sculptures are beautiful - Uncel Lall
A house is a man’s castle and at Uncle Lall's humble video store in Chaguanas, Trinidad, West Indies, Art is his castle with a work under construction by a sculptor from Princess Town nicknamed, Slugo.
Slugo has conceptualized a mystical composition in Lall's living room using both entire walls for the relief. At the crest, a winged lion and lioness are set against the aura of an azure sky with water cascading down the face of the cliff into a pond where two sculptural mermaids and dolphins frolic. The project so far has taken four months. More importantly, is this work is being built around his unfinished home. The décor includes unicorns galloping over a barren landscape which has a Bonanza appeal and looks as if it was taken from Pierre et Gilles. In any aspect, it is kitsch and probably no other work like it exists. Slugo’s reliefs are also part of series of drinking Bars called Obsession. .................................................................................................................
Who would expect that in Trinidad and Tobago, somewhere in Borough of Chaguanas there would be a house being built around works of sculpture? The Taj Mahalesque relief interiors are extremely large bas relief’s in some places, in others the relief becomes three dimensional. The colour and theme takes on a sort ofJeff Koon's sensibility and humour, except there is nothing funny here to the owner. He is building a fantasy, a world of Bollywood opulence, and like a reality show, we can't look away. - Adele
Winston, a local model smirking and trotting his style on a day which Trinidad and Tobago celebrates the end of slavery.
On this local television talk show, the subject of the evening is emancipation along with fashion and many Trinidadians and Tobagonian wear some sort of African garb to recognize the emancipation of slavery. Whether they truly understand what these clothes may mean, there are three women to explain it with the help of a lady's man.
So ladies, ladies, ladies, call your seamstress and buy out those bolts of burgundy fabric to make your twenty bridesmaids dresses and watch this saga boy plucked from his daily vocation of selling nuts on Prince street as he trots the catwalk where the world of low fashion delights these women dressed as if they are part of occult.
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.
“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.
Stress lines on his forehead - A graphite caricature of Kevin Flemming, targeted by a fellow classmate from Fatima Collage, Trinidad West Indies
Where are the world reports of this finding? In Newsweek or Time magazine perhaps? On this aluminum fence opposite a prestigious secondary school, a graphite caricature targets Kevin Flemming by a fellow classmate. Somewhere in the hallways, classrooms or playgrounds of Fatima Collage, Port of Spain, Trinidad an Anthropologist lurks and discovers the missing link between Homo sapiens and anthropoids.
Ethnology studies2006 - A student's drawing entitled and spelt - Afrow man. The tribulations of student life from a secondary school in Trinidad and Tobago The victim of high school antics - Afrow man
Kevin Quammie is in his King Sailor's costume called, Ghost Drummer. The 16 year old is taking after this father’s traditions of playing mas and liking power very much. The carnival band is called De. B.O.S.S. The abbreviation stands for the, Belmont Original Stylish Sailors and Kevin’s father says, these unique costumes traditional to Trinidad and Tobago's carnival are being overtaken by commercialism and by the trends sort from Rio Carnival, namely the pantie and draws covered with feathers, plastic beads and costing masqueraders over $2,000 dollars TT.
Ghost Drummer with African drums made from a discothèque balls between the white feathers and skulls pulsing with electronic diodes.
As a wire bender, Kevin father speaks about of the process it takes to build one of these costumes from the frame up. There are many factors a mas designer should know, weight, flexibility and movement of a costume, he says. The wind at the Savannah could take yuh, and that will be the end of you. The Ghost Drummer is in tribute to Andrews Beddoe, one of the finest African drummers and craftsmen in Trinidad and Tobago. ................................................................................................................. Liking powder - Relating to sailors who throw baby power at each other during carnival in Trinidad and Tobago
A mermaid and Unicorn carnival costume parked as if they were in a car lot
At the first stage of judging the Kings and Queens of Carnival, 2006 one competitor is quite upset over the weight of her costume, she says after crossing the Grand Stand, Nah, I eh carrying focking dat, it too heavy. The costume in question is this hefty bosomed strapping shoulder transgender papier-mâché Mermaid surrounded by Parrot fish that are quite bamboozled by the camera's flash.
On deck of the starship Vulcan Mufflers Look at these tinted oval windows against the square architectural masterpiece mounted above the streets off the Eastern Main Road, Trinidad, West Indies. With Captain Kirk at his deck, and mechanic Spock at his side, they both are overseeing a shop called Vulcan Mufflers. A Formula-one Mersedes-Benz painted by a piper
According to the owners of this establishment, the Formula-one Mersedes-Benz and Camaro painted on these wall were rendered by a piper in 1989. While both vehicles are recognizable, the question is, are they convincing enough to be driven? A Camaro's painted with an odd perspective
Drawing three dimensional cars on a two dimensional surfaces can be tricky, The accuracy and perspective should be visually appealing or realistically enough to recognisable. But check out those tyres on the red Camaro. It has a wobble, a misaligned hub and broken axle that makes the car permanently stationary. ..........................................................................................................................................................................
Views expressed on thebookmann are not affiliated with any Art Organizations and an “Art Review” may be open to interpretation as it is an observation at face value.
Amendments to such articles if misleading or with grammatical errors shall be corrected accordingly.
Richard Bolai lives and works from Trinidad, West Indies. He is a bookbinder,Graphic designer and the author of thebookmann, which from 2004, has written and photographed independently aspects of Trinidad and Tobago's art culture.
In 2008, he began a series of self studies called Feinin which incorporated digital superpositions of artists who have left a mark in art history by using the internet as the core of reference. He also produced parodies relating to anthropological studies of Trinidad and Tobago, for example, folklore or observations of the society via class and stereotypes
The work then expanded by actually creating dimensional replicas, capturing a map over the subjects to explore the underling subconscious in the form of art. This aided the ability to analyze art by producing art parodies to understand the meaning behind it. No money was spent or assistance in producing these compositions from common items found in his home, a chair, a mirror, or old tyre.
