PRESS RELEASES

APPLAUSE! - 11 - 24 Ffebruary 2006

Newsday Good Living
Sunday February 19, 2006
by Anne Hilton

Carnival Exhibition at Yasmin's Art Gallery

CARNIVAL COMES but once a year and with it, or rather just before the national fete, Yasmin's Art Gallery presents an exhibition of art featuring Carnival. This year Appplause! is the title of the exhibition, the artists taking part are Shalini, Peter Sheppard, Keith Ward, Sundiata, Omowale and Brian Wong Won.
Shalini surprised and delighted her admirers with the use of intricate metal trim to both upper and lower garments of her "Angel of Liberation" which is indeed an angel of joy and light.    If this art review appears in print before February 24, make haste to the gallery in O'Connor Street, Woodbrook to see this unique, interesting piece before the exhibition ends.

Sundiata's "Without a Mask #2" is one of the smallest of his pieces on exhibit. In this piece the angle of the head, the slump of the shoulders alone of this faceless female is a picture of misery - or anxiety. It is, perhaps, a depiction of one left out of the festival? Or a weary, nameless seamstress in a Carnival camp of days gone by? Or a mother, waiting for her children to return from the parade?
In stark contrast, Peter Sheppard's "This is Carnival", a roundel in the form of an oversized mask, is a frivolity of brilliant colour and light portraying all the glitter and glamour of the Pretty Bands.

 

"Panorama #3" is all the title Keith Ward needs to describe his black-and-white painting of a pannist in action on Panorama night. The artist has caught the player at the height of frenzy, seeming almost about to attack is pan in his intense concentration on the music. I have left out Brian Wong Won's contribution to this show because he has work on display in two other Carnival exhibitions, one entirely devoted to the work of this Miami-based artist.

 

Omowale is Sundiata's twin brother living in Barbados but often exhibiting his work on Carnival themes in Trinidad. "Pan on the Move" captures the mood of the small pan side carrying their pans around their necks, as it was in the beginning — and, to some extent, still is.
Applause! A joint exhibition on Carnival themes continues at Yasmin's Art Gallery until February 24.

 

 

 

 

Guardian
Monday, February 13, 2006
by Sonja Sinaswee

Local Artists Applaud Carnival

A GROUP of local artists put their hands together for Carnival when Applause, an exhibition celebrating the season, opened on Saturday morning at Yasmin's Art Gallery, Woodbrook.
Moko jumbies and calypso greeted guests as they arrived at the O'Connor Street gallery to view work of artists Shalini, Sundiata, Peter Sheppard, Shastri Maharaj, Keith Ward, Omowale, and Brian Wong Won.


In their various styles, the artists depicted Pan on the Move, Blue Devils, Jouvay  Fire, Soca Warrior, Fancy Sailors, Wild Indians, Night Mas, King Carnival, Panorama, and J'Ouvert.


Guests like Lisa Chamely-Aqui, executive director, American Chamber of Commerce, and Angela Lee Loy, chairman, National Aids Co-ordinating Committee, came out on a beautiful Saturday morning to view the colourful, vibrant work, so typical of the energy and activities of Carnival.
Shastri Maharaj, Peter Sheppard, Sundiata and Keith Ward attended the opening of their show, while Omawale, Shalini and Wong Won were absent.

Applause ends February 24.

The Sheppard family- Artist Margaret Sheppard,centre, with children Tracy and Peter, whose work is featured in Applause	Artist Shastri Maharaj, left, discusses his piece J'Ouvert with Robert Hannon Artists Sundiata, left, and Keith Ward treat themselves to some hors d'oeuvres at the private opening of Applause
Lisa Chamely-Aqui, executive director American Chamber of Commerce, admires a Peter Sheppard poiece with her daughter, Mia	Rachel Mouttet, left, in conversation with Sharon George