Painting Mas 2018
by Weldon Ryan
For the last 3 years the Art Of Carnival Exhibit has exhibited in Brooklyn, New York as an additional feature to coincide with WIADCA and its Labor Day Carnival on Eastern Parkway. As an addition to the art, which is created from past West Indian Carnival events throughout the US, we provides a cultural connection with the communities that celebrate carnival with an artist talk from a historical perspective about carnival characters.
My perspective on Carnival is that of a two dimensional artist with an emphasis on documenting the Carnival through my paintings. This is different than the emphasis of a Soca Artist or a designer of costumes. Musical creations provide an acoustic rendition of art and as African Griots and the statements of the season are what the costume designers bring.
But I feel my emphasis brings the event of Carnival full circle through paint and canvas. Naturally one may argue that photographers document each event. The difference in my form of documenting employ an interpretation which cannot be mechanically created because of my humanistic interpretation. Once we exhibit Brooklyn and shoot the Labor Day Carnival our attention is directed to the Carnival in Miami broward which will take place October 7, 2018.(https://miamibrowardcarnival.com/).Then we prepare for the following year.