CARIBBEAN ART MOVEMENT
-Created in London 1966
Edward Kamau Brathwaite, a Caribbean poet and scholar from Barbados, is the pioneer of The Caribbean Artist Movement. He is commonly known as one of the major associates in the Caribbean Literary canon.
CAM first started out as an idea to solve the problem of the nonexistence of interfaces between Caribbean artists, faced by Brathwaite, while on study leave in London, in his Bloomsbury basement flat. He realised that there were no means put in place to make contact with these artists possible, despite the presence of some of these artists at the Commonwealth Arts Festival. He also came to the conclusion that many of these artists are not partaking sufficiently in their own countries.
Also, he blamed the West Indies for not recognizing its own novelists, that those concerned with the island’s contribution to the festival, clearly didn’t see the need to call upon their own artists, as seen by the absence of West Indian writers, excluding the drama ‘Man Better Man’, which was first produced in the United States. That since the 1950s, almost every West Indian novelist worth the name, had moved to London, and despite the many books printed, the British society didn’t seem to show much awareness or even take value from it. He sensed the severity of the matter, and the impact this could pose on the future relationship with Britain.
Resulting from this, Brathwaite soon got in contact with John la Rose, a young Trinidadian who was about to start his own publishing company, to make material no longer in print, available as cheaply as possible to the West Indians and others interested. They later felt that the involvement of Andrew Salkey, a Jamaican, and one of the longest established West Indian writers in London was much needed, due to his wonderful personality and charm with people. He stated that without Salkey, this movement would never have been successful.
The first meeting held, showed promising results, which included a Jamaican television and screen writer Eva Jones, Louis James who lectured at the University of the West Indies at Mona, an award winning novelist and lecturer Orlando Patterson who along with Aubrey Williams, an internationally recognised painter, were to become the first theoreticians of the group.
The members soon grew from just seven, to fifty strong, and with an audience of over an hundred. By now, they had set aside three main objectives. Number one being, to get familiarised with each other and their works, to know their aspirations and whenever possible how, how this linked to the West Indian Society.
Secondly, means to create interfaces with their readers, viewers and listeners were put in place to eradicate the barriers of exile.
Lastly, providing a forum between themselves and other artists, and intellectuals from outside the Caribbean.
CAM was clearly growing, which was seen at their first conference on Caribbean Arts held at the University of Kent, where over ninety people attended. This included persons from the United States, Africa, Canada, Europe, Australia and the West Indies. Among whom included writers, actors, sculptors and painters.
The name Caribbean Artists Movement was suggested by Nerys Patterson, and agreed upon at the end of the first talk and discussion, which was thought to be a success. Informal meetings and discussions continued in secret, until its first launched into the public domain in 1967, March the 10th, at the West Indian Students Centre. Three annual conferences were held, the first two being at the University of Kent, and the other as a joint union between CAM and the West Indian Students Union, which took place at the West Indies Students centre. A majority of talks, symposia and conference sessions were recorded on reel-to-reel tapes, and which have survived onto this date and stored on different Medias to be made accessible.
Edward Kamau Brathwaite thought of starting a branch of CAM in Jamaica and, in October 1968 efforts were started to establish CAM in the Caribbean especially in Jamaica, Trinidad and Guyana but these failed. Only one newsletter for CAM (Jamaica) was ever produced.
A branch was eventually established in the UK, Nottingham, in January 1968. The branch provided a focus for many Cultural activities, and enthusiasm among local students was also seen. Soon, other young members were accepted into CAM, and many CAM members were participants in the International Book Fair of Radical Black and Third World Books.
The most active period of CAM was seen through 1966 through 1972, with the publication of Savacou; a journal of the Caribbean Artist Movement.
CAM officially existed for only six years, but it advanced Caribbean and black British writing, art criticism and publishing in a dynamic and far reaching way. CAM provided a public space, through open meetings and conferences to debate the role of the arts in the context of an emerging “postcolonial identity.” CAM publicized the analysis of Caribbean literature and supported the teaching of Caribbean literature in schools through the publication of texts and anthologies. It helped free literature from the restrictions of Standard English and supported the use of the dialect of the Caribbean people. The members of CAM helped broaden the concept of Caribbean art in the Caribbean
In conclusion, as seen by the above, and in relation to the three goals of CAM previously stated, I agree that the Caribbean Artists Movement was successful, due to its growth and development, which is seen by the establishment of its own branch in the UK. The occurrence of several interfaces, seen in the three annual conferences which took place, and also CAM art exhibitions, visits to artists' studios, and theatrical works, which as stated above, helped broaden the concept of Caribbean Art in the Caribbean.
Edward Kamau Brathwaite, a Caribbean poet and scholar from Barbados, is the pioneer of The Caribbean Artist Movement. He is commonly known as one of the major associates in the Caribbean Literary canon.
CAM first started out as an idea to solve the problem of the nonexistence of interfaces between Caribbean artists, faced by Brathwaite, while on study leave in London, in his Bloomsbury basement flat. He realised that there were no means put in place to make contact with these artists possible, despite the presence of some of these artists at the Commonwealth Arts Festival. He also came to the conclusion that many of these artists are not partaking sufficiently in their own countries.
Also, he blamed the West Indies for not recognizing its own novelists, that those concerned with the island’s contribution to the festival, clearly didn’t see the need to call upon their own artists, as seen by the absence of West Indian writers, excluding the drama ‘Man Better Man’, which was first produced in the United States. That since the 1950s, almost every West Indian novelist worth the name, had moved to London, and despite the many books printed, the British society didn’t seem to show much awareness or even take value from it. He sensed the severity of the matter, and the impact this could pose on the future relationship with Britain.
Resulting from this, Brathwaite soon got in contact with John la Rose, a young Trinidadian who was about to start his own publishing company, to make material no longer in print, available as cheaply as possible to the West Indians and others interested. They later felt that the involvement of Andrew Salkey, a Jamaican, and one of the longest established West Indian writers in London was much needed, due to his wonderful personality and charm with people. He stated that without Salkey, this movement would never have been successful.
The first meeting held, showed promising results, which included a Jamaican television and screen writer Eva Jones, Louis James who lectured at the University of the West Indies at Mona, an award winning novelist and lecturer Orlando Patterson who along with Aubrey Williams, an internationally recognised painter, were to become the first theoreticians of the group.
The members soon grew from just seven, to fifty strong, and with an audience of over an hundred. By now, they had set aside three main objectives. Number one being, to get familiarised with each other and their works, to know their aspirations and whenever possible how, how this linked to the West Indian Society.
Secondly, means to create interfaces with their readers, viewers and listeners were put in place to eradicate the barriers of exile.
Lastly, providing a forum between themselves and other artists, and intellectuals from outside the Caribbean.
CAM was clearly growing, which was seen at their first conference on Caribbean Arts held at the University of Kent, where over ninety people attended. This included persons from the United States, Africa, Canada, Europe, Australia and the West Indies. Among whom included writers, actors, sculptors and painters.
The name Caribbean Artists Movement was suggested by Nerys Patterson, and agreed upon at the end of the first talk and discussion, which was thought to be a success. Informal meetings and discussions continued in secret, until its first launched into the public domain in 1967, March the 10th, at the West Indian Students Centre. Three annual conferences were held, the first two being at the University of Kent, and the other as a joint union between CAM and the West Indian Students Union, which took place at the West Indies Students centre. A majority of talks, symposia and conference sessions were recorded on reel-to-reel tapes, and which have survived onto this date and stored on different Medias to be made accessible.
Edward Kamau Brathwaite thought of starting a branch of CAM in Jamaica and, in October 1968 efforts were started to establish CAM in the Caribbean especially in Jamaica, Trinidad and Guyana but these failed. Only one newsletter for CAM (Jamaica) was ever produced.
A branch was eventually established in the UK, Nottingham, in January 1968. The branch provided a focus for many Cultural activities, and enthusiasm among local students was also seen. Soon, other young members were accepted into CAM, and many CAM members were participants in the International Book Fair of Radical Black and Third World Books.
The most active period of CAM was seen through 1966 through 1972, with the publication of Savacou; a journal of the Caribbean Artist Movement.
CAM officially existed for only six years, but it advanced Caribbean and black British writing, art criticism and publishing in a dynamic and far reaching way. CAM provided a public space, through open meetings and conferences to debate the role of the arts in the context of an emerging “postcolonial identity.” CAM publicized the analysis of Caribbean literature and supported the teaching of Caribbean literature in schools through the publication of texts and anthologies. It helped free literature from the restrictions of Standard English and supported the use of the dialect of the Caribbean people. The members of CAM helped broaden the concept of Caribbean art in the Caribbean
In conclusion, as seen by the above, and in relation to the three goals of CAM previously stated, I agree that the Caribbean Artists Movement was successful, due to its growth and development, which is seen by the establishment of its own branch in the UK. The occurrence of several interfaces, seen in the three annual conferences which took place, and also CAM art exhibitions, visits to artists' studios, and theatrical works, which as stated above, helped broaden the concept of Caribbean Art in the Caribbean.