I
s there space for Trinibagonian
artists to grow and develop ?
:An Interview with renowned visual artist Christopher Cozier!
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“You don't try to fit into whats there, you try to make your own thing happen.”!
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Christopher Cozier!
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Trinidad and Tobago has always been blessed with having an abundance of
creative,raw talent which is evident in its rich multicultural heritage. The embodiment of which could be found in the contemporary works of a son of the soil, Mr. Christopher Cozier. The group Majestic Pelau was fortunate to have an interview with Mr. Cozier on a rooftop veranda, overlooking the streets of Wood Brook at “Alice Yard” a space reserved for local artists of all disciplines to utilize and display their work. He is also a co-director and curator
of the facility.!
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Initially the interview rendezvous was so supposed to happen at the Rituals outlet on Maraval Rd,Woodbrook. However due to the noisy environment, Mr. Cozier suggested his place at Alice yard. This change in our plans proved very beneficial to the group, as we were privy to an unplanned tour of the facility as he shared some of its history and purpose of the creative “space”.!
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Mr. Cozier is an artist and writer and has been living and working in Trinidad for a number of years. He has been a part of a number of exhibitions based upon contemporary art in the Caribbean. He started publishing his essays since 1989. He is a senior research fellow at the Academy of the University of Trinidad and Tobago and was also an Artist in Residence at Dartmouth college during the fall of 2007.!
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"I work 'conceptually.' I see myself as an artist. I may paint, draw, make videos, build things. I will never be imprisoned by my medium. I dislike being called a painter or any terms that refers to craft. I am a contemporary artist that simply makes 'visual things.’" — Christopher Cozier!
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When asked about his humble art beginnings, Mr. Cozier was a bit hesitant as he did not want to regurgitate any information that he believed was already available from online blogs and printed periodicals. This was another plus for the group as it meant that our interview experience would be all the more unique and genuine. In his formative years since
childhood, as far back as he could remember, he was interested in drawing and painting. As a youth he underwent some training by M.P. Alladin and later studying graphic design at the John S. Donaldson Technical Institute now the University of Trinidad and Tobago.!
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He was active in several fringe shows and groups, including the 'Workshop Group' in 1978, the 'Network Group' in 1979, and 'We' in 1981. Recognizing his potential, a fellow
Trinbagonian artist Nina Squires arranged a show of his work at the U.S.I.S. in 1981. A second show at Squires Gallery followed in 1983. At some point he became very frustrated trying to make it as an artist in Trinidad and by extension the caribbean and felt that he had to escape this pre-conceived “caribbean artist” stereo-type and “stifling creative limits”. He then traveled abroad to further his studies and attempted to find his “own space”. This was very appealing to some of the members of our group particularly those studying graphic art. He elaborated on the importance of finding oneself, being able to get to your space and making
evolve and that it would be impossible for any artist to achieve this within a lifetime. It was then, although terrified at the thought of returning back to the caribbean, back to Trinidad, he decided to take the risk and return home. He saw it as a challenge ,because for him, the caribbean was not only Trinidad,Tobago and Jamaica but also included Cuba , Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rica , Dominican Republic and the diaspora. The art scene in the caribbean was now a huge untapped resource.!
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“I’m fascinated by the space that [young artists] are in. When I was younger there might have been three artists you could have gone to [for inspiration]…now you have choices. There are lots of artists doing many different things, a young artist has things to look at first hand by a wide range of practitioners. Sadly, there’s nowhere for them to go to see it..”!
When questioned about the inspirations for his artwork, Mr. Cozier stated that he was interested in the simple sights,shapes and designs that hid openly in our immediate environment. He pointed to some ventilation blocks located just under the roof of the building adjacent to us and how he marveled at its simplicity, its ingenuity and the fact that many people are unfamiliar with its purpose or its history yet its presence is everywhere in our space and still goes unnoticed. Some of these designs could be seen in his work.
Interestingly he joked that some people often remark that his work looks foreign, although he draws from his experiences and life in Trinidad.!
His success is the product of hard work and persistence, taking a space and making it his.!
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Click on the link below to view a video of the interview at Alice Yard.!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0tlubbBct4zcERrZU55TDJrd3c/view?usp=sharing