Features
Paula Lindo
If you’re walking down Harris Promenade in San Fernando, there are two new murals celebrating Trinidad and Tobago’s 60th year as part of the United Nations. The mural was designed by artist and illustrator Warren Le Platte and was unveiled on October 26.
Le Platte, who works for Newsday as a graphic designer, said he was approached to do the mural in June this year. He said he embodies the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as some notable San Fernandians.
“For the education SDG I focused on inclusion in the classroom, so one of the children is in a wheelchair; excellence in education, illustrated by two prize-winning children, a boy and a girl; as well as future developments in education, so in the classroom they are studying robotics.
“SDG 2 is about ending world hunger, and I drew a double man, empanadas and a coconut vendor. Gender equality is represented by the female vendor selling her products that she grew and turned into pepper sauce. For community development through culture, under SDG 11, I have the tassa, pan, parang and carnival queens from San Fernando.
Le Platte said good health and well-being, SDG 3, was shown by two people running in front of a hospital. He said some of the prominent people from South Trinidad represented in the mural were Calypsonian Leroy “Black Stalin” Calliste, the late Prime Minister Patrick Manning, former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, Miss World 1986 Giselle Laronde-West and Gold Medalist 1976 Olympian Hasely Crawford. .
The murals were digitally designed and printed on canvas, which was then mounted behind Plexiglas for protection.
“I suggested this method in comparison to an actual painted mural. I generally wouldn’t want to paint something on a wall, where you don’t know what might happen, similar to what happened with Carlisle Chang and
The work of Jackie Hinkson.”
Chang’s large mural at Piarco Airport, The Inherent Nobility of Man, was destroyed in 1979 when the terminal was expanded. A replica was installed at the airport in August this year. In March 2019, the Hinkson Masquerade mural, a depiction of carnivals through the ages, was slashed while on display outside the Alma Jordan Library at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus.
“Not that I’m putting myself on a level with them,” added Le Platte, “but at the same time, if you have it in something that you can assemble and disassemble, then you save the job.
“This is one of the biggest pieces of art I’ve done. The biggest one before that was five feet by three feet, and this one is eight feet by four feet.
“I was very pleased with how it turned out in the end.”
Le Platte said the goal had been to unveil the murals on Independence Day, but the process took longer than expected.
“The original site visit was in July and they gave me the brief, which changed as it had to go through multiple committees. It was an interesting process, especially with all the additions. It was an interesting process and a long process, making sure everyone was happy and the message came through visually.”
He noted that perhaps it was better that the discovery was not made when it was intended.
“We had a lot of collisions. I mean, the biggest thing would be to try to do the unveiling in San Fernando on the same day that those things were happening in Savannah with the Independence Day parade that happened after two years of gridlock—that wouldn’t have been seen. “
Le Platte is a graphic designer, photographer, illustrator and game developer, as well as a part-time lecturer in editorial design, graphic design and photography.
He has done design work for corporate entities, UWI and Amara Organics, as well as clothing, packaging and product design, as well as editorial design for companies including Republic Bank Ltd, Hi-Lo (Massy Stores) and Cipriani Labor College.
His photographic work covers a variety of subjects, including carnivals, food, models, engagements and weddings. His colorful digital illustrations explore subjects such as TT athletes, carnivals and portraits.
In 2017, Le Platte designed and created the board game Santimanitay: Race to the Stage, which is based on Carnival. The game is designed for two to eight players and incorporates the history and culture of TT through trivia as players move around the board trying to make their way onto the Carnival stage.
The UN Office at the TT (UNTT) said the mural celebrated the SDGs and San Fernando’s past, present and future. A post on her Facebook page said: “Dupas and empanadas sold at The Cross, women entrepreneurs selling at Sando Market, the city’s academic excellence, Palmiste Park, San Fernando Teaching Hospital, cultural extravaganzas at Skinner Park and Queens . of Carnival from San Fernando were all honored in the mural. The centerpiece is the tribute to San Fernandians who became national icons in leadership, governance, science, culture and sports.
Present at the unveiling were San Fernando MPs Faris Al-Rawi and Brian Manning; senior Junia Regrello; Michela Panday, who brought greetings on behalf of her father, Basdeo Panday; Laronde-West; and representatives of the San Fernando City Corporation and the Greater San Fernando Chamber of Commerce.
The UNTT said the project was an initiative of the UN Communication Group on TT, with special support from UNHCR and UN Women Caribbean, in collaboration with the San Fernando City Corporation.
