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Words by DJ Theory —
Jamaican-born, Sydney, Australia-based visual artist Robin Clare—check out our last piece with her here—has some fresh new works on the table, in which she continues to explore Jamaican pop culture with a series of large-scale, cinematic images. The unique original prints in her Badder Dan Dem Star series combine stylistic elements inspired by vintage comic books, with signature nods to dancehall culture, imagery and music.
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Words by Emily Shapiro—
When dancehall music bust in the 1980′s, with it came a new style of art and design. Album covers reflected the music’s raw sensibilities with over-the-top cartoons and imagery, while sound systems spread the word about their parties with bright, unique posters. These works, which were often hand-painted and generally one of a kind, continue to be peppered all around Jamaica. The intimate relationship between dancehall music and art has rarely been highlighted (though we do our part to give it its due) but our homies Shimmy Shimmy and Al Fingers have taken care of that with their exhibit, “Art in the Dancehall,” which opens today, June 27, at the BASS Festival in Birmingham, England.
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Words by Jesse Serwer
It was the good people at London’s Shimmy Shimmy who first first brought visual artist Robin Clare and her Jamaica Project to our attention last year, and since then we’ve been kind of obsessed. Hailing from Jamaica (via Belize) but currently based in Sydney, Australia, Clare’s recent work is inspired by dancehall culture and more specifically the advertising of it, specifically the brilliant aesthetics of Jamaican party promotions. For her latest series, dubbed Dancing Words, Clare takes inspiration from popular dances such as Pon Di River, Pon Di Bank, the Butterfly and Shell Dung, with repetitious prints illustrating the steps’ movements.
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Words by Eddie STATS Houghton
Mixpak records just unveiled two new Caribbean-inspired tees, providing an everyday form of wearable soca for the hipsters of the world–and anybody else who can’t pull flag-capes or peacock-plumage at their job, but could maybe get over with a “Wave & Wine” tee on a casual Friday. That particular design (above) was created by Jamaican artist Robin Clare (now based down under–see more of her here) who translated the title of a Carnival rave track by Mixpak artists Schlachthofbronx into red, black and green mesh font. But there’s also a Trinidad-meets-Bootymore cartoon design by (Baltimore artist) Brian Blomerth (below)–so you can still sound a (visual) airhorn even when you have to use your inside voice.
