Carl brochure 2015 by david kalloo

Introduction

When the Empire Windrush sailed into Tilbury Docks in June 1948 and Lord Kitchener, the Trinidadian calypsonian sang impromptu: London is the place for me, London, that lovely city You can go to France or America, India, Asia or Africa But you must come back to London City I said, London is the place for me, London, that lovely city… Little did Lord Kitchener or for that matter, the rest of Britain knew that the seed of carnival was sown. Britain was now impregnated with the carnival baby. Three years later, steel pan arrived in Britain by way of TASPO, an entourage sent from Trinidad to perform at the Festival of Britain at Festival Hall. These two elements of carnival culture lay dormant and confined to select night spots in the city as British society grappled with and absorbed Caribbean migrants, destined not just to carve out a better life but to re-build Britain after the war. The Caribbean Diaspora, wherever they laid their roots and called ‘home’ cultivated a carnival culture. Notting Hill carnival has emerged as one of the biggest carnivals outside of Trinidad and Tobago as is today dubbed ‘the most spectacular street festival in Europe.’ Trinidadian writer and activist, Claudia Jones introduced carnival shows in 1959, but it wasn’t until after her death in 1964 that Rhuanne Laslett, a community worker invited Russell Henderson to take part in her children’s carnival. It was that act which signalled the genesis when the sound of a single steel pan resonated with the rhythm of the Caribbean on the streets on Notting Hill. Since then, carnival and its culture has been an indelible part of British culture. 2

Carnival

Carl Gabriel

Pan Band in London before founding Misty Carnival Club in 1992. It was his love for the steel pan that steered him towards costume designing and sculpture when he embarked on creating a 3-dimensional Calabash for carnival. Carl is internationally known for his expertise in the art of wire-bending to create carnival costumes and sculptures.

Carl Gabriel was born in La Romain, Trinidad. He is one of six children and was educated at Henry Compton School, London. Carl pursued further education as an apprentice where he studied and worked as a metal engineer.

His intricate designs have won him commissions from places such as Germany, the US Britain and India. He has worked on commission pieces for the British Library, Ohio State University, Heathrow Airport, London, Liverpool International Carnival, Hindu Council of Brent Diwali Festival, Kinetika Arts Links International, Carnival at the V&A, London and more recently Manchester Day Festival.

He enlisted in adult education where he studied photography which subsequently became his profession. Using his photography, he built an extensive photographic archive of Notting Hill Carnival, dating back to the embryonic stages of what has become the biggest Caribbean carnival in Europe.

His exhibitions include Spirit of Our Ancestors and Tribute to Our Ancestors for Notting Hill Carnival. Carnival Showcase,

Carl is an avid pannist, cofounding Stardust Mas and 4

Hyde Park, Dorchester Hotel, London, Artist-in-Residence at Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham, Heathrow Airport and Chelsea Gallery.

These displays exposed the detailed work that Carl employs in his creations. Resident at Carnival Village in London at the epicentre from where Notting Hill Carnival impregnated Britain. Here Carl and Lyn continue to promote the traditional and unique carnival art-form of wirebending.

Over the last few years Carl has taken, not just to exhibiting his creations in their full colourful regalia but also exhibiting the intricate and complex structure of his sculptures in wire-frame.

Traditional wire mas

Construction of a Mayan Goddess

Lyn Gabriel to bring the costumes and sculptures to life. Lyn is committed to her role and says about her union with Carl; “It is refreshing to work with someone so focused on creating.” Lyn’s role does not stop at the hands-on decorating and sewing, she is also responsible for the administration side of things which can be just as consuming as creating costumes and sculptures. She adds, “I’ve retired from my 9-5 job but the work does consume our lives. However, the appreciation we receive makes it worthwhile.”

Lynette Gabriel came to Britain in 1956. She was quickly initiated into the carnival arena in London at a very young age. Lynette is no stranger to carnival and its art form, her dad an avid pan man and her mother a carnival queen. Part of Lynette’s carnival family includes her uncle, Sterling Betancourt who officially brought steel pan to London in 1951.

Combining all this, she is an integral part of delivering carnival workshops that they run in London and across the country sharing their knowledge and expertise of carnival arts.

For almost two and a half decades Lynette has been the quiet engine that works in tandem to bring the creations of Carl and Lyn Gabriel to life.

Quiet and soft-spoken, Lyn’s role is as important as the glue that holds fabrics on the costumes and sculptures together.

Lyn’s job is to transform the structural work and give it texture and colour that helps 7

Inter-mingling of cultures

Ganesh Carnival has always been an inter-mingling of cultures and ethnicity. From Trinidad, Brooklyn, Toronto to London it has always encapsulated different cultures, both as participants and creators.

cultures which has made the capital one of the most diverse in the world. The psyche of carnival and the ensemble of what it means to a community was nurtured and transplanted to London with the Caribbean Diaspora. A steel band scholar once said “Pan was the instrument that built a nation” if pan built a nation, then carnival is the glue that holds communities together.

London’s Notting Hill Carnival has emerged as one of the biggest Caribbean-style carnivals outside of Trinidad. Its growth and development is harnessed with the elaborate diversity of London’s population and the varied 8

No other street event in London can boast the conviviality that Notting Hill Carnival brings to the city and gives to the world. Described as an ‘organic enriching’ its ability to create fusion and cultural mixing across all ages and ethnicities, dismantling of all boundaries as London and the world come together for this intermingling of cultures.

Showcased at the Millennium Dome and been part of the Queen’s Jubilee procession in 2002 and helped to cement London’s bid for the 2012 Olympics. Carl and Lyn’s work has been as integral as carnival itself, dismantling boundaries where art and culture is concerned. Their work reflects a crossculture spanning from Caribbean style carnivals across Britain, the Thames festival to Diwali celebrations in the London Hindu community.

Carnival has formed an integral part of the fabric of not just London but Britain as a whole. It has graced the Royal Opera House,

Zeus

Education Carl and Lyn are committed to educating people across all levels on the culture and artform that revolves around carnival. They are actively involved with young people and adults, working with schools and universities to promote and share the knowledge of the unique artform of wire-bending. and front view of the design. Carl explains; “this method defines the depth and shape that the piece will take.” The process for creating larger pieces is very much the same where balance and symmetry are designed. Here the wire is bent around the drawing giving it depth following the shape of the design. This pattern is repeated throughout until the piece takes shape.

Their work and the knowledge they impart has helped students to develop their skills in the Design and Technology curriculum. Students are given hands-on experience with the art of manipulating wire-bending. They explore shape, balance and geometry as well as angles and measurements for 3dimensional form. Importantly, they examine the use of various materials in considering texture, vibrancy and sustainability of the finished sculpture or costume.

Special emphasis is placed on using recycled materials in Carl and Lyn’s creative work and this too is transcended into their teaching. Students are encouraged to develop this strategy in using the availability of materials amidst their environs.

Carl and Lyn’s workshops offer hands-on experience that enables students to create a 3-dimensional structure from a 2-dimensional design. A set of drawings are produced using a grid system, creating a side 11

For example, natural materials such as; leaves, twigs, seed pods, shells and other materials that are sometimes discarded and can add texture and depth when adorning and decorating a particular sculpture or carnival costume.

Hall, London as well as Germany, Britain and India. They continue to work with various schools around the carnival epicentre as well as across Britain imparting this unique style of carnival art-form that is traditionally known as wirebending.

Modern materials such as plastic and fibre-glass have been adopted in creating carnival costumes today. However, Carl and Lyn have maintained using wire in their work which has earned them high accolades from Ohio State University, City 12

Shapes contrast and textures

Sculpture depicting slavery

Testimonials

Thanks

“One of the things that impresses people is the scale and complexity of these structures. Carl is an experienced and highly skilled engineer as well as an artist.”

We would like to say Thank You to all those who have supported and encouraged us through this journey.

Mr. M.Fullwood Head of Art, Acton High School, London. “Elevate is the professional development proramme for North West artists that runs alongside Manchester Day. It gives the opportunity for Walk the Plank to bring outstanding carnival artists to the region to share their skills. Having Carl and Lyn as lead artist on our Elevate programme during Manchester Day 2015 was a pleasure and a privilege. Photography by: Carl Gabriel and Stephen Armstrong Text and Design by: David Kalloo Produced by: Cashewmedia Ltd

They were an inspiration to the artists working alongside them and everyone else in Manchester Day.”

Candida Boyes, Creative Director, Manchester Day for Walk the Plank

07956890162 carlbgabriel@yahoo.co.uk

Pan man wire sculpture