Caribbean artists tap into creativity to cope during COVID
Arielle John, Trinbagonian
writer, arts educator and healer,
whose work is centered in
community and youth outreach,
often applies poetry and
performance to transformative
justice initiatives throughout
the Caribbean and its Diaspora.
When asked how the current
pandemic has impacted
her work, she pointed out that
what she has been able to do is
be more reflective rather than
creating new work about the
present.
While she or no loved ones
have been directly impacted by
COVID-19, John believes this
period has provided a necessary
pause for her and for many creatives.
“We are tapping into so
much abundance, so much connectivity,
and so many opportunities
for silence and ‘staying
home’ for a bit. All this empty
space then moves to fill us with
everything that we need. It now
has room to realize itself. I’ve
managed to adapt relatively well
to these times and felt as though
some of my most important
work so far has emerged during
this period,” the Trinbagonian
writer stressed.
Among the biggest challenge
facing artists and those in the
creative industry who are independents
Caribbean L 24 ife, May 29-June 4, 2020
and rely heavily on the
gig economy, is the financial
fallout. With performances and
travel being halted, and a range
of projects postponed or cancelled,
this has no doubt forced
many to adapt and focus their
creative energies into the online
space, finding ways that the art
can be used in the service of
each other and the communities
formed. And that creativity
and collaborative spirit has
enabled Michael Sean Harris,
an electronic musician, vocalist
& educator, based in Jamaica to
cope during this period.
He cites among his recent
accomplishments the composing
of a folk-fusion piece for a
collaboration with Shelley Maxwell,
a Jamaican-born choreographer
residing in London along
with a host of international
dancers for International Dance
Day. “I’ve composed music for a
guided meditation by a minister
in the Universal Foundation for
Better Living organization and
I’ve since been asked to compose
a theme for an independent
movie being made in Barbados.
I also produce a weekly
podcast (Mike’s Moment Of…)
and connecting with the guests
as well as editing and production
has kept me very engaged,”
Harris noted.
Trinidad & Tobago Photographer
Jason Hunte argues that
while the pandemic has brought
all work to a halt, he has taken
the decision to use this time
to improve spiritually, mentally,
physically and creatively. “I
have been eating a lot better,
reading more and just rediscovering
what it means to be
present. Although it has affected
me financially, so far, whatever I
have needed has found its way
to me. Initially, it wasn’t easy
to adjust but there has been
slow and steady progress with
each day since the country was
locked down in early March,”
Hunte points out.
Founding director of eNKompan.
E™ Dance Neila Ebanks is
a moving mind who choreographs,
dances, makes performance,
educates and writes. As a
mover and maker, while losing
access to regular studio space
for training and creation, she
has adapted and is now improvising
with easily accessible
spaces, living room, backyard.
“A big aspect of the work I
generally make is site-specificity,
and so I welcome these opportunities
to both stage movement
in alternative spaces and to also
see what these spaces want to
say, through movement, how
I can personify and embody
them. I have also been able to
test my audiovisual and filmbased
dance experiments on
social media, through eNKompan.
E™’s IG and Facebook
pages, to investigate reach and
impact by producing and posting
short dance films inspired
by my thoughts about the pandemic
(‘DEM. INNA. PANIC.’;
‘…5 Minutes More..’ and ‘Touch.
An Elegy,'” Ebanks stated.
International Consultant
Clinical Behavioural Specialist-
Psychologist Dr. Coretta Brown-
Johnson offers several recommendations
for coping during
this crisis, which can also apply
to creatives. She suggests finding
a way to stay connected
and sane through routine and
‘rhythm’, either by a simple
meaningful schedule daily or
by the flow of each thing and
activity.
“Artistes should still find
ways of expression as the creative
process is always alive and
easily accessible; paint if you
can, dance/move anywhere…
even walk…, practice dramatic
expression in diverse ways,
sing…vibe emote/play/practice
as that never gets old and is
not on quarantine,” Dr. Brown-
Johnson emphasized.
The renowned Jamaicanbased
Clinical Behavioural Specialist
Psychologist believes it
is imperative to maintain good
mental health in these uncertain
times. She says it’s also an
opportunity for introspection,
and to get to know who you are.
Dr. Brown-Johnson contends
that the arts is a powerful facilitator
of this desired musing.
“How you cope is entirely up to
you, do it daily step by step, by
the time you quantify time has
elapsed and you will realize that
you are still here; so embrace the
opportunity to evolve through
routine and rhythm; literally
and figuratively,” she stressed.
Reggae Forever remained
at number one on the Billboard
reggae albums chart for
two consecutive weeks, which
made Etana the first female in
more than two decades, in reggae,
to gain top position twice
on the chart.
In efforts to return to that
level of prominence, while
establishing herself as a positive
force in the industry, Etana
wants Bubble to pop in listeners’
minds like a fond memory.
“Join the black woman joy by
streaming the single on your
favorite digital platform,” Driven
urged.
She said the single is now
available as an “instant grat
track” on the pre-order of
Gemini, releasing on June 19
via Freemind Music – Zojak
World Wide.
“Keep up with Etana at
https://soundcloud.com/etana-
1/etana-bubble,” Driven said, or
on ITunes GooglePlay Amazon;
www.etanathestrongone.com;
www.myspace.com/etanastrongone;
www.facebook.com/
oneetana; www.reverbnation.
com/etana; or www.youtube.
com/Etanathestrongone”
Continued from Page 23
Neila Ebanks, founding director
of eNKompan.Eª
Dance.
Continued from Page 23
lous calypso and soca judge,
who took his responsibilities
seriously. His expertise will
certainly be missed.”
Matthew extended his condolences
and that of the Festivals
Commission and the
chairperson of the Judges
Committee, Denise Gardner.
“We trust that his family
will find peace in this time of
bereavement, and we pray that
Eric’s soul will rest in peace,”
he said.
An Antigua and Barbuda
Government statement said
Peters was also an original
member of the famous Antiguan
Vision Band, which produced
many hits during the
early 1990’s.
Antigua News Room said
police were summoned to
Peters’ home, “where they discovered
his lifeless body.”
A postmortem will be carried
out to determine the exact
cause of death, the online publication
said.
It said Tyrone “Eddie Mello”
Thomas, another founding
member of the Vision Band,
passed away in April, 2020.
Vision Ban co-founder
Dalma “Boogie” George
described Peters as “a quality
arranger”, crediting him for
some of Vision’s best songs,
according to Antigua News
Room.
Gavin Christopher, who
took over from Peters as a
young keyboardist in the 90’s,
also hailed the musician for
his outstanding talent, ABS
Television/Radio said.
The Antigua Observer said
Peter’s death has “stunned
remaining band mates who
are still mourning the loss of
lead singer Tyrone ‘Edimelo’
Thomas who died suddenly in
April.”
Peters, along with Thomas
and George, were “the original
founders of the act after they
broke away from the popular
Laviscount Band,” the Antigua
Observer said.
It said Thomas was lead
vocalist, while Peters was
musical director and arranger,
and George was drummer,
machine operator and back-up
vocalist.
They were later joined by
guitarist Keithley Meade and
keyboardist Christopher, the
Observer said.
Meade, who is also the
former director of the Antigua
and Barbuda Meteorological
Services, described Peters as
having a very kind heart.
“Eric is a person that would
take the last shirt off of his
back and give it to you,” the
Observer quoted him as saying.
“He was that type of person.
Continued from Page 23
Etana at the 61st Grammy
Awards in Los Angeles; California
on Feb. 10; 2019. REUTERS
/ Lucy Nicholson
Antiguans mourn loss of musician
Etana’s ‘BUBBLE’ of joy
Late Antiguan musician,
Eric Peters. Gov’t of Antigua
and Barbuda
/www.reverbnation
/etana-bubble,”
/www.etanathestrongone.com
/etanas-trongone
/etanas-trongone
/
/etana-bubble,”
/www.youtube
/etana-
/www.etanathestrongone.com
/
/www.reverbnation
/www.youtube