1 Roots to Rhythm COLOURblind is the AACA annual Art Exhibition that encourages and explores Issues from a uniquely Canadian perspective. This travelling exhibition is launched in Febuary as part of the Black History Month celebration. The art is displayed through-out the greater Toronto area at as many public venues, as is possible. COLOURblind International is the AACA gift to the world, an annual, juried, themed exhibition that launches each year in conjunction with Toronto’s Caribana Festival – the largest cultural festival in North America. Roots to Rhythm We were born to the rhythm of the African drum, we stand proud of the land that we are from. We were stolen from the rhythm of our motherland, to become enslaved by another man. We refused to be broken by the rhythm of the trip, or the threats of a masters whip. We sang and we danced to the rhythm of our songs, we disguised the words and did no wrong. We now jump-up to the rhythm of steel pan, we limbo to the beat of a calypso band. We live by the rhythm of gospel sounds, that share hope and promise of heaven bound. We tell stories in the rhythm of jazz, that echoes the sounds and beats of our past. Joe Halstead Association of African Canadian Artists The Association of African Canadian Artists (AACA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the support, development and sharing of works of art that is produced by artists of African Canadian heritage. The main goal of the AACA is to introduce this art into the mainstream Canadian market Last year, as part of the expansion of Scotiabank Caribana’s festivities, we introduced the element of an Art Exhibition. I am delighted to say that given its huge success it is now here to stay. As part of our growth, we continue to offer more than “a” Parade day. We’ve created “the” holistic cultural experience, presented to all of North America hosted right here in Toronto - our multicultural city, showcasing the extensive talents and creativity of the Caribbean people. Congratulations once again to Joan Butterfield and the Association of African Canadian Artists on the opening of this year’s exhibition “Roots to Rhythm”. The Art Exhibition ‘Roots to Rhythm’ depicts an intriguing collection of over 60 works which have been influenced by the journey of the African people. It is therefore not by coincidence that we’ve partnered with the ROM in this undertaking. The Royal Ontario Museum, Canada’s largest and the fifth largest museum in North America is world renowned for world culture and natural history. The combination of the production and the venue has taken this initiative to yet another level. I take this opportunity to thank Scotiabank for its participation and contribution to the overall festivities. Together we look forward to making our community richer as we celebrate the diversity of this great city. Thanks to our viewing audience for taking the time to visit and I am quite certain that the experience will cause you to be so much more enlightened and wet your appetite to eagerly look forward to subsequent years’ productions. Enjoy! We make love to the rhythms of soul, our Hip hop music is brass and bold. Our rhythm is rooted deep within our soul, it’s the beat of our heart, and our stories told. Joan Butterfield - Curator 2 Roots to Rhythm Joe Halstead Chairman and CEO Festival Management Committee Scotiabank Caribana 2008 3 Roots to Rhythm That’s why we’re so pleased that the Roots to Rhythm: Caribana Art Exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum is part of this year’s Scotiabank Caribana. The exhibit will feature up to 70 works on canvas created by talented contemporary African-Canadian artists – visual interpretations of a poem written by the exhibit’s curator, Joan Butterfield. As Canada’s most international bank, and the leading bank in the Caribbean, we are proud to support the Caribana Festival in celebrating the amazing diversity of this city. We hope you enjoy Scotiabank Caribana 2008, and the Caribana Art Exhibit. Rick Waugh President & Chief Executive Officer Scotiabank Joan Butterfiel Rick Waug At Scotiabank, we believe in the power of arts and culture to enrich people’s lives. Our donations and sponsorships programs support arts and cultural groups and events in the communities we serve around the world. This includes Canada and the 24 countries in the Caribbean and Central America region, where we have maintained a presence for nearly 120 years. Our goal is to ensure that the arts and culture remain accessible to all, including young people and residents of smaller communities, while encouraging the development of new artistic talent at the local level. Our roots - Our journey - Our stories. I hope you feel the rhythm. It has been my aim from the onset of my career to produce exhibits that aesthetically links our past to our future, to document and educate the viewing audience about our rich culture and heritage. Each of our artists tells their own story – they interpreted the theme in their own unique ways - They brought to their canvas their differences, their histories, their traditions and their struggles, and the extraordinary scope and diversity of this collection is indeed a testimony to their exceptional abilities. My deepest gratitude to Joe Halstead and the FMC, I am honored once again to have been chosen to play such a vital role in the Scotia Caribana World Festival, the largest and most spectacular cultural festival in North America, Heartfelt thanks to the Royal Ontario Museum for inviting the “Roots to Rhythm” exhibition into their halls, this is indeed a history making moment. To you the viewing audience, it is our hope that you enjoy the journey. Warm Regards, Joan Butterfield – Art Director/Curator Association of African Canadian Artists 4 Roots to Rhythm 5 Roots to Rhythm As one of the world’s great museums, the ROM strives to engage the public, as well as reflect the heritage of its visitors through its diverse galleries, exhibitions and programming. In Spring 2008, the Museum unveiled the final permanent world cultures galleries in the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, including the Shreyas and Mina Gallery of Africa, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. Based on the strengths of the ROM’s vast and diverse collections, this gallery features hundreds of objects that represent the artistic and cultural traditions of peoples from Africa, the American continents, the Asia-Pacific region and Oceania. The unique and colourful canvases in Roots to Rhythm will take visitors on a dramatic journey through the soul of music, adding a significant new offering at the ROM this summer. We look forward to welcoming visitors from around the world for Toronto’s Caribana festivities. The ROM belongs to you. William Thorsell Director & CEO Royal Ontario Museum 6 Roots to Rhythm Table of Content William Thorsel The Royal Ontario Museum is pleased to be a Silver Sponsor of Scotiabank Caribana 2008, one of the largest and most spectacular annual celebrations held in the city of Toronto, and especially delighted to have been invited to present this year’s art installation, Roots to Rhythm: Caribana Art Exhibit, celebrating Caribbean and African-Canadian heritage. 8.CherylRock 9.IzzyOhiro 10.GeorgiaFullerton 11.KenDaley 12.SoniaFarquharson 13.AshaAditiRuparelia 14.DavidVasquez 15.AngelaHaynes 16.JoyAndre 17.DarrellMcCalla 18.Anna-MariaDickinson 19.CharmaineLurch 20.MichelleMontague 20.DenieseJames 21.PhilemonCampbell 22.DionFitzgerald 23.AprilBranco 24.JanetManning 25.JasonO’Brien&KwameDelfish 26.KathMoscou 27.SheldonColthrust&BarbaraDillas 28.NicolePeña 28.Props designed by JoanButterfield 7 Roots to Rhythm CherylRock IzzyOhiro My work focuses on inner beauty, festivity and celebration. I work primarily in oil because of its luster and sensual qualities, creating layers of simple colors, shapes, and exciting movements. I am originally from Nigeria, but have embraced various cultures over the years. All of which have influenced my art. Cheryl Rock’s work is inspired by the knowledge of her ancestors and her desire to create dialogue with an audience. Her mixed media pieces document the essence of the experiences of people, whose roots are steeped in Caribbean and African heritage. RE-Memory… 30” x 40” Acrylic and mixed media But where are you REALLY from? 30” x 40” Acrylic and mixed media Reminiscence 3 -30” x 40” Oil Triptych A walk down memory lane Sounds, from deep within Pure and unadulterated Telling of the rugged past, But reassuring of a brighter day to come Up-Routed (up-root’-ed) 36” x 48” Acrylic and mixed media 1625: Re-Member…Re-New… 36” x 48” Acrylic and mixed media Ethereal Epiphyte 36” x 48” Acrylic and mixed media Mother Sally 36” x 48” Acrylic and mixed media Tuk-Touk (tu-k, tu—k) British word for “heinous noise” 36” x 48” Acrylic and mixed media 8 Roots to Rhythm Tribute A New Day 36” x 48” Acrylic Miles From Home 30”X36” Acrylic A tribute to freedom, surviving the journey and celebration of life. My soul embraces the possibilities of a new day The melody of the rising sun Consuming the ferocity, folly and reason that surrounds me Reawaken to simplicity The journey started with a song, a great ballad from yesterday. We stayed forthright, As we searched for light, We prayed each night, And made countless friends In the land called far away. 9 30”X40” Acrylic Roots to Rhythm GeorgiaFullerton KenDaley Georgia was born, 1965, in Buffbay, Portland on the island of Jamaica. Raised in Alberta, Canada, Georgia’s inspiration to draw grew from her artist/educator mother. Working with acrylics, pencil & ink, Georgia creates for the senses; fusing varied images of the figure with aspects of portraiture, resulting in “surrealist” expressionism. Ken was born in 1976 and raised in Cambridge, Ontario. His parents immigrated to Canada from the Caribbean Island of Dominica. Ken developed a love for the arts- painting, dance, and music from an early age. Bermuda Gombey 46” x 36” Oil on Canvas Tambourine Players 36” x 36” Oil on Canvas This painting is a celebration of gospel music through the 4 tambourine players dressed in choir robes. Natural Swing 48”x 36” Mixed media Rudiments of Tempo The Bermuda Gombey is the island’s premier folk art dancers. Created during the 17th century by slaves brought to Bermuda from West Africa, the Caribbean and North America, the Gombey dances borrow from many cultures. “Gombey” is derived from an African word meaning rhythm, and the dance itself is part West African, Caribbean and American Indian. 36”x 48” Mixed media The Voyage 30” x 48” Oil on Canvas First Wave 30”x 40” Acrylic In My Element 30”x 40” Mixed media 10 Deep Rooted 30”x 40” Mixed media Roots to Rhythm This painting depicts a slave ship with a figurehead of a African slave travelling through the Middle Passage. Our ancestors brought with them the rich, musical heritage that endured the horrific voyage from the Motherland to the Americas. Caribbean Riddims 36” x 36” Oil on Canvas Caribbean riddims is the depiction of the sights and sounds of carnival time 11 Roots to Rhythm SoniaFarquharson “My paintings are visual representations of everyday people and historical figures from around the world that have inspired me and I hope will help to inspire everyone to fight for racial equality around the world.” African Vibrations Asha(Aditi)Ruparelia Much of my work is inspired by the journey of my own life, culture, traditions and heritage. I feel extremely connected to the time and places to which I have lived and from time and time drawn back to finding a way to interpret those elements into my art of expressing the never-ending beauty I find within. It enriches the shapes the ways I see colour, design in artistic creativity and inspires the work that I have yet to begin. Bass Evolution 30” x 40” Acrylic on Canvas 36” x 48” Acrylic on Canvas Ambitions 30” x 40” Multimedia with sculptured texture The African Rhythm 30” x 40” Multimedia with sculptured texture Oriental Beat Canadian Pulse 30” x 40” Acrylic on Canvas 30” x 40” Acrylic on Canvas Triumphs: “The Storm’ 30” x 40” Multimedia with sculptured texture The Rhythm of Dancing Sun on My Land Roots of India 30” x 40” Acrylic on Canvas 30” x 40” Multimedia collage with sculptured texture 12 Roots to Rhythm 13 The Rhythm of the beat goes on 30” x 40” Multimedia with sculptured texture Roots to Rhythm DavidVasquez Much of David’s paintings reflect his Dominican background with fusion of Indian, African and Spanish cultures. David’s paintings can be found in the Museum of Ottawa of Canadian Civilization. AngelaHaynes Born in London, England, my work is influenced by the inspirational essence of the body, mind and spirit. I use texture and vibrant shades to portray the body as a site of expressive movement, emotion and strength. Chicago Jazz 55” x 46” Acrylic The emotions, the joy, the movement and the colour of jazz. It’s our roots, it’s our rhythm. Revellers 60” x 90” Mixed media (Triptych, three 30” x 60” canvasses) Captures the pure, vibrant exuberance of carnival. It celebrates cultural tradition, people and the rhythm of calypso and soca, which excites and propels partiers through the streets from day break to night fall. 47” x 47” Acrylic 14 Roots to Rhythm 15 Roots to Rhythm JoyAndre Joy Andre was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. Joy works with acrylic paints, text as an art form, and explores texture on canvas to symbolically represent the strength, struggle and spirit of people of the African Diaspora. DarrellMcCalla Influences of a childhood spent in Jamaica are evident in my selection of colours. My painting mediums of choice are liquid acrylics and water-colours, both encourage freedom and spontaneity. Carnival Sea 48” x 36” Acrylic The childrens’ carnival provides a canvas of pure emotion... a sea of colours, interspersed with joy, excitement or otherwise, as the young revelers “play mas” for the first time. Sankofa 30” x 40” Mixed media What Does Freedom Mean to You? Mixed media Birth & Rebirth After the Parade 42” x 40” Mixed media Dance of Engagement Mixed media 16 Roots to Rhythm “After the Parade” – A time to reflect, a time to feel tired ... now its all over, ‘til next year. 17 Roots to Rhythm Anna-MariaDickinson I was born with a creative soul. Oil is my medium of choice, and my main focus is my love for the vibrancy, rhythm and colour of the people and places of the Caribbean where I was born. CharmaineLurch Charmaine’s canvases are a narrative on cultural histories; I have always been inspired by music. When I paint I surround myself with all kinds of music, it helps me to choose colours and create lines Syncopated Journey 2 30” x 40” Acrylic Syncopated Journey 2 was inspired by the melodic lines, rhythmic patterns and improvisational nature of Jazz. Listen To The Beat 24” x 48” Oil is a prime example of my Caribbean heritage. If you look at the painting long enough, you can hear the sound of calypso, salsa, soca and the drums that set my feet on fire. Won’t you help to sing 30” x 40” Arcylic Inspired by Bob Marley’s Redemption Song. In the painting, the young girl, much like me, is surrounded by music. The music is passed to her and “we forward in this generation triumphantly”. Visual Rhythm (Dance of Flames) 60” x 36” Oil (Triptych) Bodies swaying and eyes closed. All else fades away but the feel of the rhythm of the calypso music and the steelband drum. 18 Roots to Rhythm 19 Roots to Rhythm MichelleMontague Michelle’s works combine the influences of abstract and expressionism art. Always influenced by the environment and life experiences. The focus of my work often involves manipulation of everyday, realistic landscapes and their transformation into parallel environments. Once transformed, these pieces become timeless monuments, losing any historical reference they might have had previously. DenieseJames Born in Toronto my works are greatly influenced by the print media methods of both the African and Western worlds. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art and Art History at the University of Toronto. Your’s Too Thick Series Three canvasses - 30”X 40” Mix Media The term ‘too thick’, taken from Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved, refers to criticisms of cultural difference, such as the stigmas surrounding the thick hair, lips etc. of black people, but also thickness as the strength of cultural roots or identity and our persistence in celebrating such differences through cultural discourse. The symbols are a combination of African and Indian symbols morphed and interwoven into a hybrid visual language with particular interest paid to the curved teardrop shape of the paisley. Terra Forma 3 – 30” x 60” Oil on Canvas (Triptych) The Terra Forma series represents visual meditations brought out through the music of Vangelis’ Heaven and Hell; and Delerium’s Forgotten Worlds, and Angelicus. The integration of vocals, electronica and traditional instruments in these songs is depicted on canvas as a world in transition. An environment where organic structures, heightened colours and artificial skies have melded together rejuvenating nature in the formation of a new existence. 20 Roots to Rhythm 21 Roots to Rhythm PhilemonCampbell Self-taught artist Philemon Campbell was born in St. Andrew in a rural village named Content Gap in the Blue Mountains on the island of Jamaica. He was awestruck by the lush, misty landscape and rugged peaks around him and was passionate about nature which inspired him to start painting in 1983. DionFitzgerald Sometimes we miss the moments when true emotions, as beautiful or menacing as they may seem, occur. This is what I’m interested in painting. Enjoy. Drummers For African slaves, the drum was central to religious and healing rituals, play and celebration and was deployed as an instrument of communication. Although its use was discouraged by the plantation owners and Christian missionaries the drum has remained the key instrument in all forms of African – Caribbean music and pervades the folklore of the Region. These drummers are entertaining the crowd, sometimes playing in unison, sometimes echoing each other. Ramblin’ on My Mind (Robert Johnson) 36” x 48” Acrylic on canvas Vulnerability and virtuosity will always remain the roots of modern music. I believe these qualities are captured in this intense moment with a blues great. Midnight Blues In the Americas, while jazz musicians are noted for their lively improvised rhythms, they are also renowned for playing, on brass and woodwind, instruments, “the blues,’’ slow melancholic music, beautiful and emotive depicting the adversities of their lives. This horn blower dazzles his audience with his passion and deep emotion Preachin the Blues Son House 36” x 48” Acrylic on canvas This piece displays the rhythmic expression that lies within a bluesman. I want the viewer to experience the gospel of the blues in visual form. Homage African – Canadians have brought to Canada a rich cultural heritage in which dance plays an integral role. People of African descent use dance forms to give vent to their sorrows, revel in their joys and in general to celebrate life. These dancers pay homage to their ancestors, showing respect and reverence for the legacy passed on to them. 22 Roots to Rhythm 23 Roots to Rhythm JanetManning AprilBranco To summarize my goal as an artist, I quote the great Stella Adler... “Good art is not what it looks like, but what it does to us” Achieving that level of connection would be my greatest satisfaction. Self taught artist, born and, raised in Toronto Canada with a Jamaican background. I’m inspired by directions of my personal life, thoughts and emotions. My interpretation of art is articulated through movement and imagination. I believe art should be analyzed for a few minutes, therefore revealing the story. RHYTHM The Beat is the Thread Intertwining our generations. Along this line travels the tale,of a people and past, unknown... and yet familiar. CAN YOU HEAR IT? Time to Shine 30” x 40” gallery style canvas (Acrylic) We discover where the light is coming from. Silhouette images convey unity. They look towards the sun for guidance to freedom. Power from the heavens is portrayed. Change is currently taking place. Finding Destiny 30 “ x 40” gallery style canvas (Acrylic) One’s face is revealed His eyes become diamond prisms, which reflect his soul They occupy many fragments of the past, present and future. His wild free flowing hair, convey his roots, A brilliant beam of light out shines his true colour, Presently colour is of no importance Even during the darkest moments, You must seek and find that light within yourself. What you believe will come to pass ROOTS Out of the darkness I rise, strong and proud. Past knotted and twisted as the hair upon my head. Yet with eyes open and shining, I face the future.... Where I’m from, where I could be… 30” x 40” gallery style canvas Heavenly guidance through transition is what I create in my mind’s eye Music, deeply rooted within the soul, helps us maintain our sanity. We merge from the powerful roots of our culture, The freedom to express our dreams, allows reality to take its place What we could be as individuals…is endless 24 Roots to Rhythm 25 Roots to Rhythm JasonO’Brien is a Toronto born artist whose inspired themes stem from his personal perspective on emotional issues and how the human form is affected and shaped by them. KathyMoscou Trained at the High School of Music & Art in New York City, Kathy’s original renderings are very excitedly expressed and presented in oil, watercolors and mixed media. They vividly portray her African and American heritage and stimulate a wide range of emotions in all people because all cultures can relate to positive family interactions and intergenerational relationships. Heaven Bound 36” x 48” Acrylic Hair, her-story Interprets the rhythmic roots of the black experience rising up from African origins. It’s clourful tapestry of spiritual song and dance has been weaved into our hearts and souls and serves as the catapult upon which we are elevated to the heavens in unbridled magnificence. 36” X 44” Mix media Depicts three generations of women communicating lessons from the past through the collective experience of ‘doing hair’. The rhythm of hands moving through hair weaves the wisdom that comes from our African roots. The weaving of hair is a metaphor for the intertwining of our history and current experience. KwameDelfish Drawing inspiration from life experiences and culture, Kwame allows human emotion to take shape through bold vibrant colours. Moods take form through the accentuated body language of figures. Rhythm In Bloom 48” X 60” Oil Celebrating our past, present, and future, the steel pan is a celebration of sounds, rhythm, music and beauty. Like a flower it is firmly rooted in our culture, blooming with each generation. The leaves dance in celebration as a new bud appears, just as we celebrate when a new generation dances to the rhythm and melody of our roots. 26 Roots to Rhythm Piano Lesson 36” X 44” Mix media Nana is the foundation or root of so many families. Through music, she passes along tradition; couching our youth through various movements of life. Like the TV of today, the piano was once the gathering place for families. 27 Roots to Rhythm SheldonColthrust Sheldon enjoys working with a variety of different materials. Drawings –pencil, Charcoal, pen and ink, Digital- adobe illustrator, and painting-acrylic. NicolePeña Nicole Peña is an award-winning artist and over the past ten years has exhibited in several solo and group shows in Toronto, New York City, Port of Spain, and Hamilton, Bermuda. In many of her paintings, Peña depicts entranced everyday people who are seduced into spiritual and psychic reveries. “In these works,” she explains, “rhythm liberates the body and frees the spirit.” Peña, a Jamaican born Canadian who graduated from York University with an Honours Degree in Fine Arts is proud to be a part of ColourBlind International—though she speaks for many when she says, “I don’t want my art to be defined solely by my race.” Disco Diva 30” x 40” Acrylic on Canvas This piece takes place in North America.The queen of afro has returned. Only this time she is fully immersed in the era of Disco. She has become one with the rhythm. No longer is she a human, of flesh, but a being of light. The tempo causes the luminescent energy to constantly change throughout her body and she loves every minute of it. BarbaraDillas Art Educator/Freelance Artist. Presently teaching Visual Art in Bermuda. She studied at Central State University in Ohio where she obtained a B Sc. In Art Education, and expresser her art form in acrylic on canvas. Everyday People Everyday people indulge in the rhythm of an ancestral beat Hips sway to an unyielding melody Participants dance with eyes open shut Surrendering to a moment of joyful pain. Bermuda Gombey (“Gombey” Bantu word meaning “ rhythm) 38” X 38” Canvas glicee The Bermuda Gombey is depicted in abstract expressionistic form. It shows a small part of Bermuda’s culture. The tall head pieces, hand-made with peacock feathers, glitter and sequins, are the crowing glory of the beautiful comtumes. 28 Roots to Rhythm 29 Roots to Rhythm JefferyGregory Born in Jamacia – An artists in the fields of sculpturing, painting and wood carving, winner of over 40 first place and best of show awards. JOANBUTTERFIELD Joan Butterfield is the Curator for the “Roots to Rhythm” Art Exhibition, launched in conjunction with the 2008 Scotiabank Caribana World Festival celebration in Toronto. Joan has created and curated exhibitions for numerous organizations, corporations and educational institutions throughout Canada and the United States including: City of Toronto, City of Hamilton, City of Baltimore, Brampton City Hall, Purolator, Johnson & Johnston, York University, Coca Cola, Central State University, Scotia Bank, Congressional Black caucus Foundation Inc, Canadian Human Rights Commission, Heritage Mississauga, and the Burlington Art Centre. Joan is the Founder of the Association of African Canadian Artists and curator of their much-acclaimed COLOURblind exhibitions. Joan’s goal is to produce accessible and engaging art exhibits that raise awareness and stimulate dialogue Props designed by Joan Butterfield Wailer Survivor 30”X 40” Acrylic Bonny Wailer (Livingston) - last surviving member of Bob Marley and the Wailers Hip-Hop Mixed media Feel the Rhythm Mixed media Up Rising 30”X 40” Acrylic Bob Marley 30 Roots to Rhythm 31 Roots to Rhythm COLOURblind International Association of African Canadian Artists 9 Meridian Road Brampton Ontario Canada L6S 3P9 Tel: 905- 459 -5168 Fax: 905-792-0959 Toll free: 1-877-233—6517 www.colour-blind.ca colourblindexhibit@yahoo.com Curator: Joan Butterfield Tel: 905-458-8289 Cell: 416-230-8615 Toll free: 1877-233-6517 www.joanbutterfield.com www.anjudesign.com | 416 508 6383