Editor of Draconian Switch, Mariel Brown, shares with ARC’s community her thoughts on the latest issue of the publication which is dedicated to highlighting the works emerging out of Trinidad and Tobago in 2012. The issue designed is by Tanya Marie Williams, with Brown as editor and  contributors including Marsha Pearce, Jasmine Thomas Girvan, Brianna McCarthy, Kriston Chen, Andre Bagoo, Kibwe Brathwaite, and Arnaldo James.  The editors letter is shared here along with some images that encapsulate the year past.

DOWNLOAD THE ISSUE HERE.

Eddie Bowen ‘Wizard Juggling Vortices’. . From the exhibition, “Paintings from the Monastery” at Medulla Art Gallery

Boy! 2012 was one helluva year for art in Trinidad and Tobago! Thinking back on it,  I can scarcely remember such a profusion  of riches! And our regular contributor,  Marsha Pearce comments on the year in art.  We have Marsha working real hard this  issue, as she also reviews Alex Smailes’  recently concluded exhibition, “Alex Smailes: 10”. We’re delighted to be  showing new work made specifically for  Switch by Brianna Mc Carthy, who we  challenged to take inspiration from  specific works by poet, Olive Senior and  jeweller, Jasmine Thomas-Girvan.  (For one of her major exhibitions,  “Gardening in the Tropics”, Thomas-Girvan referenced Senior’s poem of the  same name.)

Designer, Kriston Chen,  creates a layout for a poem by Andre Bagoo,  and photo essays by Kibwe Brathwaite  and Arnaldo James illustrate two unique  facets of Trinidad: our night life and the steel  pan movement. A big thanks to Tanya Marie  Williams for designing this issue of Switch,  and to all our brilliant contributors.