Wednesday 20th September: Notting Hill Carnival - Monday Finale

Its taken me a long time to get this post published because not only does it take a while to edit a selection from all the glorious photos but also because Ive been set back by the devastating news that the community has lost Gloria Cummins.  Visiting Gloria is the fondest memory I have on my Carnival research explorations.  I fell so in love with her and her house / studio that I totally out-stayed my welcome and couldn't leave.  She was one of Notting Hill Carnival's original mas designers and still staying true to the art form of making traditionally inspired, narrative themed costumes.  There are only a handful of bands holding on to the practise of creating larger-than-life constructions to tell the story of the roots of the tradition.  I've placed her pieces as the top 4 images here to see the beautiful authentic materials and techniques that she used and taught to pass on to the next generation.  I'm so saddened that Notting Hill Carnival's procession will be missing the place of her unique designs keeping it epic in scale and educational in message.  Not only this but her knowledge has gone with her and we've lost a rare, invaluable mentor.  I'm deeply regretful that I didn't get to know her better but magically humbled that at least I did get the chance to discover her.  Long live the legacy of Flamboyan Arts and the mas camp on the Carnival route that had a Trinidad flag hanging out the window 365 days of the year.

Read my original report here.

The rest of the photos here, from the Grenfell tribute costume downwards are an amalgamation of highlights from the various mas bands that contribute to the splendour of the day.  These include (in running order) Chocolate Nation Mas, South Connections, Baccahnalia, Wassiville, Ebony, Samba Batida, Elimu / Paddington Arts, Paraiso School Of Samba, Sunshine Arts, Urban Touch, Carl & Glyn Gabriel, Mahogany.

See more on my Instagram for The Carnival Arts & Masquerade Foundation here.

Monday 22nd August: Notting Hill Carnival Mas Camps - Flamboyan International Carnival Arts

 Flamboyan Arts run by Gloria Cummins is as truly glorious as her name.  From the Trinidad flag hanging out of the window, to the Trinidadian tinsel trimming kept in spectrum order on the bookshelves - this is the authentic Carnival Mas Camp.  Founded in premises along the W9 Notting Hill Carnival route in 1986, it  has evolved into a real-time living museum to the art form.  As soon as you enter the ground floor of the town house, walls are covered in relics of costumes and Caribbean paraphernalia.  Painted designs and sketches are tacked up alongside paper clippings and historical photo montages.   A reoccurring face in the mix is of Gloria's co-founder and late husband Larry Ford whose legacy is intrisic to each year's new direction.  His mantra of "Nothing Beats Experience" is emblazoned on the band's T-Shirt artwork for the 2016 theme "Wear In The World".  This title doubles up for both the act of playing mas and wearing innovation, but also the story of the world with different countries being represented in each section of their parade.  Designs incapsulate all continents from India to Greece, Africa to Japan and The U.S via New Orleans.  Within this artwork are also the two birds from the crest of the Trinidad & Tobago coat of arms, which is at the heart and root of everything from Flamboyan.  Here you can see a print of an etching from 1888, depicting early carnival in the Port of Spain, showing the procession led by the devil character like a Pied Piper. Traditional Carnival characters like these will appear in this year's cast but given a contemporary twist so that the "Jab Jab" is combined with an Italian clown jester.  This particular modern re-invention was a suggestion from an assistant who is at the studio on work experience and part of the Flamboyan scheme for providing apprentice placements.  His skill is in fine-art and his canvases hang amongst the artwork's on the walls since Gloria held an exhibition of his paintings.  His portraits of Pierrots with beautiful crisp ruffles are currently being translated into silk bloomers on the pattern-cutting table.    

I was like Charlie entering The Chocolate Factory when I visited and didn't realise I had spent nearly two hours looking around!  I absolutely love the essence of Carnival in its purest form being carried thru from generation to generation in this way.  I cant wait to see how it all comes together this weekend, especially the "Midnight Robber" which is getting a hat so big that it was taking up a whole table to be decorated with fringing.  I'll be snapping away on the day, so check back to see the final results from the road ..........

Check out the Flamboyan website to find out how to get involved and learn the arts of mas and play steel pan.