Art in the Caribbean, An Introduction by Anne Walmsley and Stanley Greaves covers art in the region from 1940s to 2000s. With a scant sprinkling of mentions about Grenada state in the Leeward and Windwards Islands section pages 146 -148, there is not one image of artwork from our islands, nor is there mention of the work the Grenada Arts Council has done for close to 50 years.
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| ShortKnee Disciplez 2012 |
I have selected a few images from this publication to translate as part of my ongoing ShortKnee series, the first of which ShortKnee Disciplez (above) is taken from Jamaica’s Ebony Grace Patterson, from her 2009 Disciplez series of the Gangstas, Disciplez and Doiley Boyz series, which speak to feminized hardcore gangsters in Jamaica. The spirit of this piece spoke to me, given that the history of the Grenada ShortKnee shows that they hid weaponry under their voluminous clothing, wreaked havoc against rival troupes and caused general mayhem during carnival. I have considered the ShortKnee as perhaps our first gangsters, feminized not by their makeup or skin bleaching, but by the overly bright and often flowered patterns of their costumes. This mixed media work – in progress, because there is so much more that can be added – shows a matter of hidden depths, of mask under mask, under mask. The burlap fabric itself a fragment of another mask adds historic element, as does the outlined boat at the bottom, with the lone figurehead on the bow.
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| ShortKnee Disciplez 2012 detail |
My reworking of EGP’s piece, uses roughly handcut paper flowers made exclusively from several copies of the visitor publication of the Grenada Board of Tourism. These rough flowers more funeral wreath than halo, around the white sheep’s headgear of the ShortKnee – think lamb to slaughter. Originally I was going to handcut paper doilies white on white to create the halo effect with which EGP surrounds her heads, but realised that using the BOT’s publication made more sense, given that 2012 is the carnival Year of the ShortKnee. Its tag line Legacy of the Chantuelle, does not really hold much water at time of writing this blog, as it is this artist’s opinion that the ShortKnee history and image have not been fully explored as a true icon of our visual and historical culture, from a tourism of educational standpoint.
My translations taken from this good introduction to regional works, allow me to introduce more ShortKnee art.
The Shortknee members sound really interesting. I thought the pieces you show above a little too nakedly derivative of Ebony’s work. It’s especially ironic considering the notice prominently placed on your blog about copyright, international laws etc.
Still, quite interesting…thanks…
work in progress AP…looking at it to be done in paper mache, to give it more oomph, and more weight. thanks for comment