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Spirit of the Carnival

Print
1988 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Spirit of the Carnival offers a political commentary on the ever-increasing police presence at London’s annual Notting Hill Carnival. A solo masquerader in masked raffia costume performs at the centre of the scene, penned in on every side by an advancing line of police officers in identikit uniform. A wall of riot shields forms a circle around the masked performer, through which a snarling dog has broken through. However, rather than being intimidated, the masquerader continues their energetic dance. The dazzling colours of their costume and their outstretched hands seem to suggest a form of resistance. Some writers have read Joseph’s image as a celebration of Black cultural and political resistance and resilience. It may also serve as a commentary on the way in which Carnival – and by extension the Black community – have become associated with criminality by the mainstream media.

Tam Joseph was born in Dominica in the Caribbean. He moved to London when a child and later studied at the Central School of Art and Slade School of Art. Joseph works as a painter, sculptor and graphic designer. This print reproduces an acrylic on canvas painting made by Joseph in 1984. The print was commissioned by the Paddington Print Shop for a portfolio of prints entitled 'Jouvert' by a variety of artists to celebrate the spirit of Carnival.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSpirit of the Carnival (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Screenprint
Brief description
Colour screenprint, 'Spirit of the Carnival', Tam Joseph, 1988
Physical description
Colour screenprint showing masquerader in masked raffia costume encircled by police. Scene from Notting Hill Carnival
Dimensions
  • Height: 77cm (sheet)
  • Width: 103cm (sheet)
  • Height: 67.5cm (printed area)
  • Width: 79cm (printed area)
Copy number
72/86
Marks and inscriptions
72/86 1988 SPIRIT OF THE CARNIVAL Tam Joseph
Gallery label
[From leaflet] 'Tam Joseph (b.1947) on the other hand, uses the mask as the focal point in a totally unequivocal message on the relationship between racism, authority and power, in a screenprinted version of a painting made four years earlier.'
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
Spirit of the Carnival offers a political commentary on the ever-increasing police presence at London’s annual Notting Hill Carnival. A solo masquerader in masked raffia costume performs at the centre of the scene, penned in on every side by an advancing line of police officers in identikit uniform. A wall of riot shields forms a circle around the masked performer, through which a snarling dog has broken through. However, rather than being intimidated, the masquerader continues their energetic dance. The dazzling colours of their costume and their outstretched hands seem to suggest a form of resistance. Some writers have read Joseph’s image as a celebration of Black cultural and political resistance and resilience. It may also serve as a commentary on the way in which Carnival – and by extension the Black community – have become associated with criminality by the mainstream media.

Tam Joseph was born in Dominica in the Caribbean. He moved to London when a child and later studied at the Central School of Art and Slade School of Art. Joseph works as a painter, sculptor and graphic designer. This print reproduces an acrylic on canvas painting made by Joseph in 1984. The print was commissioned by the Paddington Print Shop for a portfolio of prints entitled 'Jouvert' by a variety of artists to celebrate the spirit of Carnival.
Collection
Accession number
E.1233-1995

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Record createdJune 27, 2007
Record URL
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