A Peacock Becomes the Windows of the Universe, 2019
Jason C. Audain, Trinidad & Tobago
Limited Edition Photographic Print (2-5 of 5)
36 × 54 in | 91.4 × 137.2 cm
“The Palace of the Peacock” is a mas (querade) created by Alan Vaughan for his Moko Somōkōw Carnival Band in Trinidad. Moko Jumbies are Caribbean stilt-dancers, who trace their genesis to West African traditions. Moko Somōkōw combines elements of Afro-Atlantic spirituality, such as Orisha and Vodun, with creative portrayals inspired by visual arts and literature. “Palace of the Peacock” is based on the seminal, rich, complex and beautiful novel of the same name by Guyanese author Wilson Harris, and the images bring to life the dream-like, spiritual characters on their journey into the Guyanese hinterland. This photo-shoot was devised and photographed by Jason Audain as an integral part of the creative journey and output of Moko Somōkōw for Trinidad Carnival in 2019.
Artist Bio:
Born in 1983, Port of Spain, Audain gravitated towards visual art in his school days, but took no photographs. His formal training? A decade-long apprenticeship to taking pictures, carried out with an autodidact’s focus, rigour and grit. What animates his work is the desire to tell a tale as true as it can be visually spun. All is consecrated to the story, to the art and practice of revealing it through pictures that are meticulously made, not carelessly snapped. Audain’s roster of clients, which has included The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago, Departures.com, Huawei T&T, among others, benefits from this sharp focus.