Fine Art Prints

Steelpan band coming down Ariapita Avenue.

Print Size: 18" X 24. (individually signed and numbered)

Cost: US$ 25.00

The above print "Steel Pan Band coming down Ariapita Avenue", is a reproduction from a Gouache painting measuring 36" X 48". It was completed in 2000 for a show at The Michael Biennes Center in Fort Lauderdale. The show was called "The Art of Brian Wong Won" and featured some 50 of the artist's paintings, a traditional carnival costume display and a trade display of products from Trinidad & Tobago. It opened with a parade of the artist's traditional carnival costumes, Bele Dancers, African Drummers, and a 25 member steel pan orchestra.

The scene represents Trinidad's modern carnival with Fancy Sailors, Steelpan Musicians, Fancy Indians, onlookers and the famous Flag Woman waving the national flag. The street "Ariapita Avenue" does actually exist and can be found outside the city of Port-of-Spain. It is located in a suburb called Woodbrook, the Mecca for the Trinidad's Carnival 'Mas' Camps and Steelpan Yards. Before the dawn of Carnival, this quiet and quaint suburb of formal parks and villas, turns into a frenzy of activity as the production of 'Mas' takes center stage. It explodes into a Bacchanalian vision of color, fantasy and form with the pulsating sounds of Calypso and Soca vibrating from the tin and slate roofs of its resident Gingerbread Houses. Ariapita Avenue is the first judging and starting point for all the Carnival Mas Bands. The painting aptly captures the energy and pageantry of “The World's Greatest Festival on Earth "- Trinidad Carnival.

This fine art print has been produced in limited copies of 515 measuring 18"X24". They are hand signed and numbered by the artist.

Lana's Pamdemonium.

Print Size: 18" X 24" (individually signed and numbered)

Cost: US$25.00

The print "Lana's Pandemonium " is a reproduction from a Gouache painting measuring 36" X 48". It was completed in 2001 for a show at the Art Serve Art Gallery in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The show was called "Pandemonium, The Art of Trinidad Carnival" and featured 60 of the artist's paintings along with traditional Trinidad Carnival costumes. It was one of several shows held outside the Miami area during 2001.

 The scene unfolds in downtown Port-of-Spain on a wide street known as Broadway and aptly captures the frenzied chaos of a typical Trinidad Carnival Monday. The painting represents a typical 'Jam secession' in Bacchanalian glory with masqueraders from different bands intermixing and creating the spirit that Trinidad's Carnival is famous for. Revelers from J'Ouvert and other 'Pretty Mas' bands are illustrated continuing the Carnival Monday Tradition of wearing half of their costume, while saving the rest for Carnival Tuesday.

Broadway is a wide street that was once called Almond Walk due to the many almond trees that once lined its perimeters. Almond walk and its trees were laid out since 1845. In 1895 the first trams car lines were laid along Almond Walk intersecting the once clean cobble road surface. In 1906 the name was changed to Broadway and the last almond tree cut down. Broadway is deep within Trinidad's capital city of Port-of-Spain just northwest of South Quay, another wide boulevard near the city's waterfront. The trams vanished when the automobile became popular in the 1930's. Today it is a busy boulevard with buses, taxis and pedestrians. In its heyday, Almond Walk was the site for traditional carnival character and shantwel (calypsonians) competitions. It continues today to be an important roadway to bands entering the Downtown Carnival competitions and the gateway to the Queens Park Savannah stage.

The building behind it is the exclusive Broadway House that was built in 1923 by Edward Bowen. It was both home to C. Lloyd Trestrail & Company, purveyor of dry goods and a private club for Trinidad's business elite. Its Georgian stature is further embellished with Corinthian pilasters on its upper gallery and an arched colonnade beneath where the store was located.

Lana's Pandemonium is strikingly detailed and a bit darker to emphasize the long shadows cast by the tall surrounding buildings. The woman to whom the painting is named after appears twice within the painting and is actually a close friend of the artist. The painting was composed after playing 'mas' in Harts 2001 presentation for Trinidad Carnival. Her black and bronze costume is from a section called 'Black Magic' in which they both played. Lana's Pandemonium aptly captures the energy and sultriness of " The World's Greatest Festival on Earth "- Trinidad Carnival.

This fine art print has been produced in limited copies of 502 measuring 18"X24". They are hand signed and numbered by the artist. This is his second fine art print, the original Gouache on Paper painting currently resides in the Nath private collection.

Enquires @ brianwongwon@yahoo.com