Never say what you don’t mean Alice Yard Friday 6 November, 2009, at 7.30 pm

The Proyecto Capital installation opens to the public at Alice Yard …… Audience members can participate by taking the found coins away. All are invited – Alice Yard

An artist caught collecting a cent from a drain, Trinidad, West Indies in a project called, “Proyecto Capital” is a collaboration of three artists,  Alejandro Mina, Mar Molano and Michelle Isava

Source:  Proyecto Capital

Este proyecto parte de la observaciòn. En los recorridos hechos caminando por la ciudad de Puerto España es posible encontrar una gran cantidad de monedas en el suelo, aparentemente insignificantes para la mirada local, pero para la mirada forànea resulta llamativo en comparacion con la ciudad de Bogota y otras ciudades. La idea es recolectar las monedas de la calle y registrar el proceso para luego hacer una instalaciòn que pretende despertar reflexiones frente a este gesto de arrojar y recoger para luego reinsertarlas en la sociedad cambiando el valor capital por el valor simbòlico.

Michelle Isava writes:

“We have collected 500 5-cent coins, 987 25-cent coins, 498 10-cent coins, 7 50-cent coins (although they are no longer in use)…. This installation seeks to give value to what is not valued here in Trinidad. To foreign eyes, coins on the streets are an absurd enigma that represents the extravagance and wealth of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Soon after their The Proyecto Capital slide presentation at Alice Yard on Friday 6th November 2009, Alice Yard announced that guests were free to participate by taking away the found money all gathered in pile located in the centre of the gallery floor.  A man then walked to the installation, stooped down and preceded to collect the coins with a hand brush and dust scoop all the money in his bag. The Colombian artists began to panicked as they saw all their efforts being taken away. Only a  Cent was left behind  as a reminder to never  give away your money so freely for the work you have done to earn it. He then offered the money to the audience by allowing them to take a hand full from his bag. Some did, others did declined and then he left Alice Yard with total  sum of money estimated to be $300.00.

Miss Cassava, yeh eh see meh coming?

Me ain’t know why dem artise does do per-formance in middle of de road counting coins dem does find in nasty canal, deep pothole and drain. I does hope dem does wash dem finger and toe nail after. I big art installation and me scan d money already. Dem talk, dem show pict-ture, den dem clap. Talk over is show now to see. I see dis Cassava bleed inside she, when dem say TAKE DE MONEY IS FREE, is blight who say it and I obey he and full meh bag quick wit dust pan and brush. No pict-ture please.

Den all fight break out wit Alice Yard man who steups. Dem all looking like ass when realize is early. I say I offer dem de money and some take hand full and is right because de rest LEGALLY is mine. I take meh time, watch de woman bicycle at Brooklyn bar den is straight to Cassava Cassava and I ask she to put meh bag content in ah black plastic and plop it dead centre on she child bed like is show in de Alice Yard box. When Cassava reach she home, she bawl out, ” Oh Mami,” but is when she see de note and all de coins, is steups and laugh at de same time. If she open she el Espanol mout, is prison I sending she. Is lessen I teach dem whatless fools to give way prize so quick.

Susie Wong at Amber light District

Miss Wong that is a work of art, it’s not for sale like how you present yourself

Is now I get off meh day evening shift and de WASA truck driver push meh out in de junction wit plenty Red, Amber and Green light. Me accustom to Red, but is now I invite to plus extra shift at Singer Measuring Tape Artise Modern showing. Dat is a clott district playwhe 7 two ball plus, me like to play wit 12 wit four ball. I see is big iron……gate and is New York security lock meh down one time. I stand like cat woman when dis zamie scan meh leg high and brush meh cat slight. I say yuh focking paying meh, is $200 reach already.

I see dem long walkway, is dark, dark and playwhe 7 district far, so I protection wit Carib bottle neck to damage dem mans, womens, dogs, horses and when I is in heat, donkeys to scar dem face if dem try to outsmart meh, watch good is plenty around I do. I walk brave when dis big focking landrover chicken coop nearly lick meh way and pelt meh on de side of de road where I is accustom, I say dat fowl better not be Amber cause I just razor up dis week meh cat and call it ah Susie just in case.

I see tick Singer Measuring Tape wood sign and I stoop down and pull-out meh Macintosh Plantain Pro 17inch to see if meh web cam working and read meh email invite. I slip it back wit ease. I see stair like World Trade and dem all strong strapping firetruckman dead in vain and dem prick waste, I pray dem getting plenty brush in Heaven. I raise meh leg on de landing and work and rub each time, is higher and stronger till I mount de last step, I release, meh cat smile and make meh sheer pantie hose flint and cause flame between meh legging.

As I reach dem Cobo look so, and so and so like chicken neck when dem man,women, dog, horse and donkey use to eye around meh cat wit dem totee eye and mout. I watch junior sec painting… and remember….. ah remember but I ca remember, or is handicap International Art expo. Meh ain’t see Amber light, but meh see candle light in church anyhow build under tent. I say, why dem eh tell meh is dis, I win Miss Best Village prize ready, and meh in Sunday best, when is table clott garment and tie dem expect.

Amber light district, Singer Measuring Tape Artise Modern, National Housing Tenants playwhe 7, bu, bu, Susie yuh tief ah Amber?

As ah surprise dem pay full and to meh too is plus extra shift I must wok, dem Cobo expect meh to brush small Amber special wit book reading option. If meh cat have to wok separate shift, dat is not meh business, I does like to catch up on meh night reading bible, so far preface II, I reach after ten year. Meh eye pick up on de jumbie dark wor-king obeah on de side, den I see Amber dark jumbie skip and hopscotching straight in front. Meh see Le Crapo preacher Paris visit wit ah visage to cause meh cat to zip up like Nun and fock free everyting in site, include de two iron pillar holding up de roof ready.

Amber jumbie in Artise per-for-mance calling spirit to wake in front of National Housing Tenants. Dem still grinning at he wit teet. Le Crapo hopping, me say why dem eh trow fish net to hole he still. Is is sudden meh cat unzip, just so and meh body Belfon Bicycle in reverse. Meh knee begin to exercise wit thigh master double and I dream of donkey…….. I feel I catching meh Best Village past….. Dance de Bellair oh Dance de Bellair…Me centre on Grand Stand Stage, representing meh Village, me, dance like Queen bee, de soca drumming have meh head in ah spin, meh wagang spirit leaving meh cat..and ah artiste spirit taking over. I is now I begin to dis-cover I is ah ……..Where de garbage truck to buy meh art supple, like old wood, roof nail and scrap find car-nival stick in bead costume wit Elmer.

Meh cat slap meh quick, Susie Wong is five years yuh still have life in and sideways. I raise meh Bellair skirt invisible, and wand and dance meh way out of de place. Ah jump on de hand railing backwards and ride and lub up for free, I take two short and one long drop to de iron gate front, I cuff down and take meh money, and scar de security wit de bottle neck still for being a stinking zammie cause me never going focking back. I wave down every maxi taxi full wit man till I reach territory, meh Wood-Break and meh backseat five door mattress. Is home free I is. I tink all meh life, meh nanny look after meh when I skin down hill, meh nanny watch meh bruise. Is meh nanny who teach meh so to stand like cat woman, is meh nanny I do so remember.

Susie Wong is the pumpkin vine sister of La Diablesse

EMBAH’s MEASURING TAPE

> On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 6:09 PM,
> richard bolai <richardbolai@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> — On Tue, 10/27/09, Jeremy <building7@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>From: Jeremy <building7@gmail.com>
>
> > Subject: Re: inquiry
>
> > To: “richard bolai” <richardbolai@yahoo.com>
>
> > Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 2:11 PM
>
> > Hi there,

> > The email address you’ve been given about the
>
> > “Celebrate Embah” event
>
> > is incorrect. Please stop sending mail to me as I
> have
>
> > absolutely
>
> > nothing to do with it.
>
> >If you happen to know who is organising the event,
> please
>
> > tell them to pass around an email address that is
> actually
>
> > their own.
>
> > On Wed, Oct 28, 2009 at 6:16 AM,
>
> > richard bolai <richardbolai@yahoo.com>
>
> > wrote:
>
> > Dear Building 7,
>
>
> > Is this a solo exhibition of Embah’s work as
> attached
>
> > with the email, or are is there more works on view? Is
> this
>
> > a formal exhibition or rather just a few decorative
> pieces
>
> > in the foyer of the once that of CCA7
>
> > regards,

Joe Rosenthal thanks Carib – Kept History Alive

Sometimes we have to be mindful of history in the event it is not repeated

The infamous Billboard, Trinidad West Indies

Raising Flag II on Iwo Jima, regarded in the United States as one of the most significant images of the World War II, and possibly the most reproduced photograph of all time.

Glenn Roopchand’s Sacred Feminine

Glenn Roopchand  an artist pondering over Carlisle Chang and Arshile Gorky

At Soft Box Gallery in Port of Spain, Glenn Roopchand talks about his history, his association with many artists and his influences from a Modern abstract painter, Arshile Gorky. Mr. Roopchand notes that with this show, he expresses the Caribbean with a collage of motifs that reflect his Trinidadianess, namely the steel drums, flowers and shapes that look like sea shells. Roopchand has worked in many fields along the lines of carnival costume  design and interior decor to name a few. He clarifies that influences taken from him may be seen in the works by Pat Bishop, the difference he says is understanding craft from collage. Both artists use ornaments such as beads, decorative carnival trinkets and glitter which are embedded in the work. One can pick up at Samaroos, Samaroos is a known Carnival craft shop in Trinidad and Tobago.

A disciple of Carlisle Chang, Mr. Glenn Roopchand has kept certain techniques such as dry brushing, his paintings are caked with layers of gesso which gives it a relief surface, then flaked with paint by using the brush’s bristles. He also uses overlapping oval patterns that are not stenciled but rather painted. The Sacred Feminine exhibition has some hidden clues where his heart rests, glimpses of The inherent Nobility of Man is one of them, captured in two of his works.  Glenn Roopchand is responsible for the reconstruction of Chan’s The inherent Nobility of Man mural which was commissioned for the National museum of Trinidad and Tobago in 2006, he actually worked on the original mural. The inherent Nobility of Man was one of the most important art works since the Country’s independence in 1962.

This  body of work  spans from 2003, its warmth comes in many canvas sizes, there are smaller pieces that look like maquettes for larger mural concepts. Mr. Roopchand’s desire is evident here for large-scale public works but his cannot be matched with his mentor, Carlisle Chang. Yet his intention is to stand by his work by any means, his loyalty to Chang’s  methods  and his presence at the exhibition gives visitors a personal opportunity of his insight, it also helps educate Buyers, Curators and the public alike.

Glenn Roopchand’s take on influence, ” What this said to me was that, one can attempt to copy a work, but one cannot copy the energy, drive and soul of a piece.” With reference to your statement, I do not believe that M. Roopchand was trying to copy any characteristics of Mr Chang. What he was in fact doing was allowing the people of Trinidad and Tobago to remember one of the most influential piece of work done by an Asian artist, to be remembered with dignity and respect. Though Mr Roopchand was indeed a student of Mr. Chang, your art education at Pratt Institue would have allowed you enough knowledge to know that an artist cannot copy the passion of another artist. MR Roopchand’s art work is very rhythmic. He said of his work compared to Mr. Chang, “all my paintings, all my pieces have rhythm. You see these pieces are not rhythmic in nature, these pieces are not mine. These are pieces that were influenced by Carlisle Chang, so I had to maintain the cubist tendencies that he had.

The idea of replicating the piece of work was not to repliated the artsit’s soul, If you knew Mr. Roopchand’s intent you would be very proud of his struggle just to have Mr. Chang remembered in such a visual way. I have read many of your criticism of other artists work, and I find you lacking in talking about art /artist in an interlectual way, that reflects “Pratt institute” (Did you know that Mr Roopchand also attended Pratt). I must also mention that my conversations with Mr. Roopchand I find him to be one of the most intelligent and intellectual artists of East Indian descent, who has developed a style of his own. I can assure you that he was not TRYING TO COPY ANYONE’S SOUL, since he has a soul of his own that is reflected in the “Nobility of Man”

Glenn Roopchand
Sacred Feminine, October 22th- November 2nd, 2009
Soft Box Gallery is a photo studio and commercial gallery in Trinidad

Violence Blooms 2006-2009 Trinidad

Dhow Dhow and Pax Pax, three years of work using the technique of straight stitch applique

Violence Blooms, Adele Todd explains,  ” In 2005 I was in China as a participant in the Second Beijing Biennial. In our last few days in the city, a friend and I found out about a wonderful Buddhist temple. We took a taxi and arrived in time for the latter half of the prayers in the courtyard of the temple. While there I observed some very detailed hanging curtains that were adorned with embroidered flowers done in traditional Chinese style. It was then that the idea for violence blooms emerged. The concept was to do much larger embroidery work on the theme of violence in boys as they grow to adulthood. I looked at the idea that Trinidad and Tobago on the one hand represents an idyllic space and yet faces so much internal conflicts from the people themselves.”

Embroidered Anthuriums, back view

Detail of Anthuriums

Adele Todd
Violence Blooms
2006-2009
Trinidad

Miss Louise addresses her men

Is meh neighbour, Miss Louise oui

Me now finish eating meh Divali left over wit plenty meat this time, Lawd meh ca fast whole day witout like meh muddar. Meh curry channa, pumpkin and mango ride meh belly after I eat it morning, noon and night Divali. Me now settle down to watch meh TV movie and de news which may meh sick to vomit how dem, no we, treat dem Chinee so. Ah say Hazel must have smoke and bless dem Palace after she man sick in bed watching chandelier rattle and  Mao children watching he like ghost from high Basilica ceiling. I does remember when dem show pict-ure of Africa  Somalia race deading,  and we small and unite to send dem money. UN report  say is de most generous nation, now is dem turn to sent, I feel sad.

I now fluff meh pillow and rest meh neck when meh Sharp blow, Meh light dip. I pelt up like wonder woman and race to un plug meh fridge, meh two fan and TV.  But I look to see like meh house lighting like is day and night. I say is God bless,  if I have to pee wit meh hand spinning to find wall and toilet bow, dat light working bright, meh dough have to bounce in wall. I peep trew meh curtain and see my neighbour out in yard as if T&TEC come quick and cut he line cause he ain’t  pay bill. He house so dark, me ca see me when is he self waving at me. I say, ” Boy is only meh toilet bulb working”, and tink dem so fas to know meh business. When last meh nephew boil on meh roof to find crack and fix leak, dem come boldface to ask what he use. If only is was bandit, dem eye get blind, dem see nutting, dem hear nutting too.

I tinking about meh freezer, how meh two well pack ham telling meh it ready to cook now, my brain processing and I dough want to feel shame when neigbour start smelling ham tick and is Christmas two month to reach. Next ting is commotion outside, Miss Louise take we  street center, is big wave like police officer to stop de T&TEC truck. I see Louise addressing de driver and I turn meh ear better so I could hear what she saying, but meh no maco.

Me say meh meat not spoiling, I walk like cat back and get meh extension cord and plug in meh fridge, I hear de fan.  I creep and attach me second extension, meh TV and fan, it come on. I turn down de volume like transistor radio, the fan breeze hitting meh skin, I feeling cool. I say, when dem still outside, I inside, meh toilet socket both working. I call out to meh, neigbour, ” Peal, meh one room lighting, I plug in meh fridge, it working, me ain’t know how long dem taking”.  I close me curtain, and say loud, ” I sleeping like baby tonight, if dem ca fix we lights soon, I get meh fan to work”.

I go out still and she standing royal and addressing dem T&TEC  truck in Queen English,  Miss Louise pass eighty and she voice crystal clear. ” You sir are going to endanger your men and risk injury in that unkept parcel of land where the problem has arisen? ” De men come out truck  and flashing torch like Star Wars. Miss Louise directing dem like sergent pointing where to go.  But I look close, and say to meh self quiet,  oh Lawd, Miss Louise have on no panty. I just glimpse she business, when de man torch pass and scan she tin nightie. Is why dem scatter so?