#Sexypink/bereavement

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink -Botero is an Artist whose work I have enjoyed for decades. I used to think that his sculptures came from the age of Futurism when I was a teenager. I was surprised when I realized that he was very much still working. Rest in peace Fernando Botero. The joie de vivre he brought to his corpulent people was way ahead of the body positive movements today. Thank you.

added note: Botero did not only produce plump people, he expanded the nature of cats, objects and food as well.

[galleryyuhself]

Sexypink - Condolences to his family. This is a big loss. May he rest in peace.

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Horizons have lost one of our founders. Richard Gordon passed away last night, March 21st. He was a driving force in the art world for decades, managing Fine Art for years before opening Horizons with Cheryl Blanc. He will leave a hole in the art world, and in our hearts.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - Rest in Power Kwame Braithwaite - Making BLACK LIVES MATTER long before the slogan existed.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - Geoffrey MacLean - 1942-2024

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - Conservationist, Architect, Co-Curator Medulla Gallery, Michel Jean Cazabon authority and great friend Geoffrey MacLean will always be in our hearts.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - Tribute to Fraulein Rudder the creator of Women in Art.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - A gigantic loss to our Art world with the passing of Deltex Store Owner Christine Millar. She had been ailing for some time, yet, no one wanted to believe that such a titan would be saying farewell.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - Earlier today I mentioned the heat in Trinidad and Tobago. Little did I suspect that a volcano of an Artist had passed. How can anyone wrap their mind around the passing of Sir Horace Ove? Where shall the next genius come from? Will we experience them in our lifetime again? The wisest course of action is to honor his work by showing it, talking about it and encouraging future generations. To his prolific Artist son Zac, deepest sympathies on the loss of your father.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - Celebrating the life of an original, Glenn Roopchand.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - A beautiful tribute to a talent gone too soon.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - In Bereavement - Thank you Rubadiri Victor for permission to reprint your recollections in text and image of a talent gone so soon.

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Rest in Perfect Peace Mark Akini Nottingham. My Deepest Condolences go out to his Family & Closest Friends- especially to a brother-in-arms like Arnold Goindhan... It is distressful when it is someone so young & still so full of Promise... Mark was an enormously creative soul, with a grand appetite for Life & Creative possibility. When a number of us sparked the underground creative movements of the 1990s, Mark and a cohort of his peers from the St Joseph Valley emerged as the next Rapso young guns- Black Lyrics. 

They were the face of the Rapso generation right after the Kindred generation. They in fact have a pretty good album of young Teen Rapso that has never been released. This may be a great time to bless it with air... The group of four escaped the limitations of their valley home and 'Pinny' and Mark especially descended into the sometimes viper-pit that could be Trini and Port of Spain theatre (lol). 

They actually broke the mold and did excellently for themselves, becoming steadfast working actors and creators- probably the hardest working theatre men of their generation... Mark was a member of my troupe of actors in my company- the WIRE BEND Folklore Theatre.

 They were the first people I called when I formed it in 2015. I owe him, Pinny, Renee Michelle King, Nicole Wong Chong, Karina Andrews 'Arlette', Kurtis Gross, and others so much because they committed to be the vehicles for me to tell my stories, and have done so since. Mark and Pinny in particular have been fearless in disappearing into roles and collaborating with my madness. Not every actor can act well in full body costumes and puppets- fewer can manage 7 complex costume changes, whilst nailing all the respective characters per play.  Dragons, Imps, Lions, Wolves, Old Men, Children, African Kings,- Mark never hesitated to wrestle with the role and render it. He was especially my go-to to play 'The Boy'- that recurring immortal archetype of the mythical innocent young male. 

He did not need to act it- he was very much the Boy. Apart from his fresh-facedness he had that openess, curiousity, and appetite for life. He also had the naughtiness of the Boy too... Because of this and his wit, he also was my choice to portray my version of the traditional Anansi... He nailed it...He and Pinny, like many of us who choose this life, have a profound connection to 'the Child inside' and for the sacredness and essentialness of Play. So Mark was playful as he embodied those essential archetypes- and also as he moved through life. 

He was a committed Teacher, Actor, and Rapso-man. He was moving into being a full multi-media titan embracing film/video and more- especially dedicated to the disenfranchised Boys of the Street- the Zess generation. He wanted to record their songs and tell their stories in film (one of the other things about Mark is that he got things done). I think he understood how profoundly the Arts expanded his life from being an urban village boy from the St Joseph Valley with ceilings on his expectations. 

He wanted to repeat that emancipation for others...Mark- though young- was very much a family MAN. He had a relatively large-ish family and was an excellent father to his kids, who he adored. My heart goes out to them... Too young. This one. Too young. A lot of good ones are going. 

We can only hope it is as Stalin said, ''MORE COME...''We will dedicate the 2023 Season of Wire Bend in April to him. Rest in Peace, Young Brother...

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - A major Icon has left us richer, sadder and grateful.

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The National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago extends our condolences to the family and friends of the legendary Calypsonian, Gospel Singer, and former Calypso Monarch, Denyse Plummer.

Denyse Plummer broke barriers when she first emerged on the calypso scene during the 1980s, facing criticism onstage at Skinner Park as a “mixed”, female calypsonian in what has traditionally been seen as a male-dominated field. She never let this deter her however, and adamantly portrayed her love for her craft to the best of her ability, which earned her multiple crowns as Calypso Queen, and the 2001 Calypso Monarch Title with her popular song, “Nah Leaving”.

She began singing from an early age as a student at Holy Name Convent, and with their choir won several youth music competitions. Additionally, she participated in popular local talent competitions: "12 and Under", and "Scouting for Talent." As an adult, she regularly performed at the Chaconia Inn in Maraval during the 1970s-1980s.

Plummer released her first album in 1978. Her popular melodies eventually made their way to the ears of Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, who invited her to perform the Phase II Pan Groove steelband’s Panorama song, “Pan Rising” in 1986, although she had never sung calypso before. Her infamous debut at the Calypso Monarch semi-finals at Skinner Park saw jeering crowds throw projectiles at her on stage which she then incorporated into her performance, winning herself the respect of her audience and revealing why, “Woman is Boss”, as her 1988 song stated.

Following this, she was invited by calypsonian Superblue to perform at his Culture House calypso tent, and then at the late Aldwyn Roberts’, (Lord Kitchener’s) calypso tent The Revue, where she remained for 18 years. She enjoyed a successful calypso career and performed widely abroad as well, even winning Amateur Night at the Apollo Theatre in New York in 1989.

From 2015 until her passing Denyse Plummer had become a performer of Gospel music, but still incorporated the rhythm and music of calypso into her songs. In 2011, she was awarded the Trinidad & Tobago Hummingbird Medal Gold for her contributions to culture.

This photo is courtesy of the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian, July 26, 2023, which is part of the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago Newspaper Collection.

References: Sookdeo, Bavina. “Denyse Plummer Privileged and Honoured.” Trinidad and Tobago Guardian, 8 Feb. 2013.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink NEWS - Helen Humphrey was an amazing performer of Minshall costumes (back in the day) she has passed away, but shall never be forgotten.

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From Minshall’s Facebook page

We pay tribute to Helen Humphrey who was Venus Rising in Minshall's 1978 Zodiac. The design by Minshall was based on Botticelli's Birth of Venus. Helen's mas was photographed by Roy Boyke at Macqueripe; and these photos are from the Trinidad Carnival magazine published by Key Caribbean. We extend deepest sympathy to John Humphrey and the rest of Helen's family.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - Honoring a life.

[sexypinkon]

Sexypink - Holly Gayadeen has passed.

Rest In Peace.

Ceramic Artist Bunty O’Connor had this to say on his life.

I am sad today to give news of the passing of Holly Gayadeen. Holly was a well known Trinidad artist and member of the Trinidad and Tobago Art Society who started his career in pottery making. He was trained in the UK in the 1960s at Redland Teacher Training College, Bristol in the art of slip decorated pottery. On his return to Trinidad he taught at the University of the West Indies. I was one of the lucky students who attended his evening classes at the Victoria Institute, Trinidad and Tobago Museum. His workshop was a model of efficiency where we learned to throw pots on the wheel, make moulds from plaster of Paris, to glaze and fire our masterpieces. Holly was a gentle, patient teacher who encouraged his students to develop their own style. My condolences go to the Gayadeen family at this sad time.

[sexypinkon]

Temoy Bhola

Sexypink - When Camille Harding passed away earlier this week, I recalled the first time I knew of her work. She was being interviewed on TTT about her residency to New Zealand. At the time she was doing very intuitive jewellery making. She was one of two women working like that. The other was Temoy Bhola. Temoy died of a brain aneurysm in 2015. 

As I tried to come to terms with the loss of Camille, I considered that Temoy is also gone. Two shining lights now no longer here. What of their contribution to our Art landscape? Temoy would always say, ‘You have to do the work. The work is all, the work is everything.”

Temoy Bhola - Hand band

She made some really unique, clearly personal work. She was known for heavy curling metal fragments twisting around organically with bits of natural fibre. She was funky, she was groovy, she was gorgeous and she was so wise. In another time she would be seen as a hippie or perhaps a witch. She and Camille represented a free spiritedness that I have not encountered again.

Temoy Bhola - Saraswatee - organic sculpture

Temoy Bhola - Necklace

Temoy Bhola - organic sculpture and wearable piece

Temoy Bhola - painting with metal inserts

Temoy Bhola - Caribbean Queen

I was able to contact Edward Bowen her ex-husband and he kindly put me on to her sister Haddi who told me where to find her work. Sexypink cannot express enough the value of Artists like Temoy and Camille when they pass away. I know that today I wish I spent more time with them. I wish that I had access to their stories and work in a much larger context. However, I am putting her work here as a start to acknowledge and remember these great women. Rest in eternal peace.