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| COURTESY ARTHUR ROGERS |
| Arthur Rogers’ work is part of The Mas Between Us exhibition at Nine Eighteen Nine Studio Gallery which opens on 25 June. |
Nine Eighteen Nine Studio Gallery will open The Mas Between Us exhibition as part of the celebration of Caribbean Heritage Month.
The collaborative exhibition, which opens June 25 at the new Visual and Performing Arts Center, will feature photographs and artwork by Joanne Rogers and her husband Arthur. Together, the couple have created a glamorous and colorful collection that highlights the culture and tradition of Caribbean life.
“This exhibition started with my husband Arthur Rogers, a painter and also part of the collection. He often paints carnivals. I started taking photos of his events and he would paint from those photos. This exhibit is like a second coming from her,” said Joanne. “We’re putting on this exhibit because the Charlotte Caribbean Festival Association is hosting a parade that will start and end at the gallery. We decided to do some of the work our in the building to add to the experience that is happening outside.”
The carnival is known for its lively music and colorful costumes. The Carnival of Trinidad and Tobago, which inspired the exhibition, has its origins in the 18th century, when the French brought their tradition of masquerade balls to the area. African slaves were forbidden to participate, so they held their parties in secret and wore costumes intended to mock the French, leading to the creation of the “Mas”, a term used to describe present-day carnival costumes.
The actual Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago includes parades, dancing and lively music called Soca. It takes place every year on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.
“It’s a party. What inspires me the most is music. Soca is the soundtrack to Carnival and builds anticipation for the event throughout the year. It’s a genre of music I’m passionate about,” said Arthur. “For me, painting is the only way I can figure out how to share my passion for music with everyone else, because I’m not a singer or a performer. I linked the images to the music and the closest image to the music is Carnival.
Joanne Rogers, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, became a self-taught photographer after picking up her first camera in high school. In 2011, Arthur gave Joanne a new camera and she began photographing the family, especially her grandchildren. Eventually, friends started asking her to cover events.
Today, Joanne is the owner and curator of Nine Eighteen Nine and a staff photographer for the Mint Museum, where she takes reference photos for artists.
Arthur Rogers is a North Carolina native with roots in Sint Eustatius and Trinidad as well. He is executive director of the Visual and Performing Arts Center, an artist in residence and represented by Nine Eighteen Nine. He has held positions at several design firms, advertising agencies, and has been a college instructor. He has skills in several fields, including graphic and web design, videography, photography and painting.
The featured carnival paintings are newly returned from another art exhibit at the Portsmouth Arts and Culture Center in Virginia. The four-person exhibition Soul Finger Project featured work influenced by contemporary black culture rooted in North Africa and the Caribbean. The Soul Finger Project is coming to Charlotte in August with several pieces of art available for purchase.
“Carnival is a celebration of life. People prepare and train all year for this special event,” Arthur said. “The event isn’t necessarily just carnival, it’s about celebrating life and being happy, and that’s what I hope people take away from it. .”
Nine Eighteen Nine Gallery is open to the public from 11am-3pm Tuesday through Friday or by appointment. “The Mas Between Us” will continue until July 5 with a closing reception at 7pm that day. The Uptown Carnival Parade takes place on June 25 at 11 a.m. and ends at the Visual and Performing Arts Center on Tryon Street.
