Windrush Amplified Art Grant winner:
Wayne Snooze - ‘Stories From St. Thomas’
As part of Hackney’s annual Windrush Generations Festival, this year sees the launch of a new initiative to find, support and amplify the artistic talents of the Windrush Generations here in Hackney.
In collaboration with partners Build Hollywood, public billboard spaces will be dedicated to artworks created by Hackney’s established or up and coming artists.
After a call out to photographers, print based artists, poets and writers to respond to this year’s theme for the festival ‘Windrush: Past, Present and Future’, submissions from Windrush descendants across the borough were received and overseen by renowned visual artist Pogus Caesar.
We’re now pleased to announce the winner of the grant as artist Wayne Snooze.
Pogus Caesar was delighted with the “refreshing” submission remarking on the work being “extremely original in the use of traditional methods which is rare these days. A new head with old thoughts that screams heritage in a silent way”.
Read below to find out more about the artist and the inspirations behind Stories From St. Thomas.
By using images of current day Jamaica, Wayne’s intention was to “trigger an internal dialogue for people who have a connection to the Caribbean” while drawing from his background as a child of Jamaican immigrants who arrived in the UK during the Windrush era.
Wayne’s work will be a series of images using the traditional screen printing technique of Jamaica's historical printing practices. Inspired by the hand-drawn signage seen in Jamaican shops and businesses, the prints aim to exude “a raw, do-it-yourself essence”.
Wayne aims to “encapsulate the essence of Caribbean life - its ordinary rhythms, remarkable resilience and serene beauty amidst adversity. Each print will serve as a visual narrative, offering glimpses into the vibrant fabric of Jamaican culture and its enduring spirit”.
“I'm deeply committed to portraying the authentic experiences and valuable contributions of the Windrush community through my artwork, by challenging stereotypes and misconceptions whilst honouring the resilience and cultural richness of this community”.
“By respectfully capturing the authenticity and vibrancy of Caribbean life, this series seeks to celebrate the richness of the Jamaican experience and provide insight into a world often overlooked or misunderstood.”
“As Caribbean culture has become more popular and accessible since the turbulent days of the Windrush generation arriving in England, I wanted to pay homage by utilising screen printing to illustrate the normal, everyday lives of Jamaicans while embracing the quirks and imperfections of screen printing. The technique is culturally relevant as it was used to create flyers for nights, posters for Jams, record sleeves and more.
As Jamaican culture in particular has grown in popularity, it has been distilled to stereotypical exports. Weed, reggae and “Blo@dcla#ts” have become a cultural passport for a generation who are perhaps unaware of the intricacies of Caribbean life - the diversity of experience on the island and the similarities of Jamaican life to "life inna Hing'lan". Apart from the weather of course…”
Wayne Snooze
As part of the project, Wayne will also lead a screen printing workshop ‘Island to Island’ to explore connections of the Islands of the Caribbean and how those from the diaspora have flourished here for select community groups.
Scroll down for a preview of Stories From St. Thomas which will be located on billboards at Chapman Road - Hackney Wick, Dalston Lane and Kingsland Rd - Haggerston from 17 June for two weeks. You can visit more of Wayne Snooze’s work at www.waynesnooze.com
