A colleague of mine recently tagged me in a rather interesting article on Facebook entitled 'RPB: Embrace Change'. The article featured prominent Barbadian entertainer and ten time Calypso Monarch Stedson "Red Plastic Bag" Wiltshire and his views on Calypso, especially the state of social commentary and the Pic- O'- De- Crop Competition in Barbados. 

Whether or not you have an interest in Calypso one has to admit that this stalwart has made a significant contribution to the art form in Barbados as a performer, writer and mentor of our youth. This is why I must express disappointment with some of Mr. Bag's recent statements. 

MR. BAG'S OPINIONS

It is Mr. Bag's submission that our Pic- O'- De- Crop Competition's music is parochial and does not have what it takes "to go beyond our shores". He further qualifies this by saying that “It is either we’re thinking competition or we’re thinking music for the world". For this reason his focus is no longer on the competition as he now has to think about "getting his music far and wide". This problem is further compounded by the fact that young people are not as interested in traditional social commentary as they are in the Sweet Soca and Party Monarch competitions and that social commentary as we know it is essentially lacking evolution.  (see full article here)

POINT OF CONTENTION

These statements raise a number of puzzling issues for me.  Mr. Bag has been a professional entertainer for longer than I have been alive. I personally find it strange that, ten Pic- O'- De- Crop titles later and after a successful career of dominating most competition platforms during the Crop Over Festival, he now realizes that he must look "beyond our shores".

More importantly I would like Mr. Bag or anyone else who subscribes to this idea about being "too parochial" and the need to sing music that is "international" or "for the world" to explain something to me. 

What the hell does that mean?

Is the popular Rap music speaking about the Bronx and American ghetto issues not parochial? Is the Reggae song talking about life in Trench Town not Parochial? Yet these spaces have taken these issues and made their parochial songs music "for the world". We readily embrace this music as international. So much so that, in total, it is given more radio and promotion locally than our national music. 

Mr. Bag has a right to want to make himself more marketable and I am not against the desire to go beyond the competition. I have my opinions about the competition and the impact it has on calypso also, but to say that it is too parochial and not international is a cop out. 

The real problem we face is our lack of desire both consciously and subconsciously to embrace our own. Culture is not stagnant and it will never be. The expression of change and the desire to evolve by the youth, which Mr. Bag speaks about, is a necessary component of any society.  In fact, if one looks back one will see that Mr. Bag himself was part of an example of one of the cycles of evolution of Calypso in Barbados. 

 The youth's lack of interest is a failure of this society. It is not as a result of our traditional or parochial music. It speaks to our lack of continuity. It is not only a problem in Calypso but in every aspect of the performing and creative arts. 

The youth can't take an art form seriously that is only treated as important for three months a year. The music not going beyond our shores has less to do with its parochial nature and more to do with the fact that the national mentality (including the performers) is that it can go no further. 

 I agree that evolution is necessary and I think that one of the reasons we have a Sweet Soca and Party Monarch competition is because it is recognized that not every person is interested in traditional social commentary. There is nothing wrong with having a parochial competition. Instead of looking at it as a stagnant sore why not look at it as one of the unique elements of our cultural space. Something which we should be branding and packaging to the world as opposed to importing other people's drivel and then gift wrapping "sun, sea", exclusive hotels away from the natives, "and sand".

Mr. Bag's contribution to Calypso in Barbados is invaluable. It would be unfair of me to imply that he was coming from a malignant place. I, however, cannot support his line of thinking as it represents a wider societal problem which is largely responsible for the lack of recognition, appreciation and support of our culture and art forms. 

What do you think?

Anya_Tripp 

It has been a while since I have had anything to say. However, the Universal Expressions Arts Festival 2014 has officially come to an end and that means that this producer can now return to regular business. On that note, here is some information I am eager to share with you based on some of the bad business experiences I had this year.

Let us be frank here. You don't always, especially if you are a start up, have the upper hand in business. At this point you are mostly trying to make ends meet so you can get to the next stage and you more often than not need HELP. In my case, I spend a lot of time trying to get people to see the bigger picture.  There is definitely no immediate large profit margin involved in what I am doing and at this stage, in kind support and IOU's are unavoidable.

 When you are in this kind of situation the last things you need are surprises and uncertainty so here are a five tips I will share with you based on my experiences so far.  

1) Never allow anyone to tell you "give me what you can at the end of the job".

So he or she is your friend right? I totally get that. However, the last thing you need is someone turning up at the end of your project demanding more than you have to give because it was never determined up front what they were supposed to be paid. Always make sure it is specifically outlined what it is you are receiving and how much you are to pay for it.

2) Set specific dates and timelines.

The money is to be received by when? The goods or services are to be delivered at what date? At what time and for what duration of time? I am sure you would never like to have the experience of your stage manager (who should know better) arriving at your venue at 6:45pm for a show that is scheduled to start at 7pm.

3) Make allowances for the fact that things can go wrong.

Shit happens! People get sick, accidents happen and natural disasters occur. In any event, you don't want to be giving the other party the impression that you are placing them in a situation with no alternatives. It should be explicitly written that you are willing to discuss or negotiate changes when necessary. There is no harm in giving individuals or businesses the opportunity to rectify  breaches of the contract in a timely manner.

4) Have a termination clause.

This follows from point number three above. Do not bind yourself to something indefinitely. Make sure to state exactly when, how and why the agreement would be terminated if the need arises. You certainly don't want to be held at ransom but you also don't want the other party to feel as though they are being railroaded.

5) Don't forget to get that signature

Making all those plans to secure the interest of yourself and the other party and not having a signature affixed is like putting your valuables in a safe and leaving the door unlocked. You are asking for a dispute.

Contracts and business agreements can get very complicated and when that happens you know it is usually time for a lawyer. Depending on your business the contract itself might vary. You may need to consider the inclusion of warranties, third party beneficiaries and alternative dispute mechanisms. However, there is nothing wrong with keeping it simple and there are now tons of templates you can get online that are actually pretty good.  As with everything else, the important thing is to do research and become familiar with the business practices and types of contracts used in your field.

I start with the three C's and build from there. Make sure at all times there is Certainty of subject matter, Certainty of consideration and Certainty of duration.  There is no better place to start.

Check out this post by Canadian lawyer David Brown on his blog The Barristers' Lounge. I found it simple and easy to follow. If you are a beginner it will give you a pretty good idea of the basics.

Just remember to do your research and keep reading.

Anya_Tripp

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you see your body in the mirror? I usually find it a little difficult to engage in discussions about the female body because, as a slim person, almost any statement made about body structure and weight could be interpreted as insulting by individuals on the thicker side. In my case this includes most people I interact with.

Unfortunately the recent, or not so recent, 'slim craze' does not make this any easier. A lot of women are now going for smaller even if it does not mean healthier. In addition, this entire discussion tends to neglect the fact that many of us on the smaller side are also victims of similar social pressure. However, size is just one factor in this complex equation. Even if you do attain that ideal shape - Is your hair the right texture? Is your skin the right complexion? Are you too tall or too short?

Infatuation with the female form  is manifested in visual art as far back as the 'Upper Paleolithic' or 'late stone age period'. Venus Figurines from some regions had exaggerated or prominent stomachs, breasts and vulva with no facial features or clothing included while it was almost quite the opposite with Venus Figurines from other regions.

 Historians studying the art of ancient cultures speak about images of nude women as representations of birth and fertility as opposed to notions of objectification and sexualization . While this is not untrue, it cannot be disputed that one is given a sense of the 'ideal form' of the particular period from the physical appearance of women in art.
One is able to get an insight into the way of thinking and the thought processes of a particular society or group of people simply by the way the body is portrayed in the work.  

The necessity for women to try to achieve an 'ideal look' is also hardly a new phenomenon. John Singer Sargent's Madame X, an 1884 portrait of  Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, is a depiction of a woman who painted herself with a lavender powder and prided herself on her beauty and appearance. She was well known for having a blue tint.

 The truth is that visual art is not simply sculpture or representations on canvas anymore. We can now access images with the click of a button. Today we live in a very commercialized environment and the way the body is portrayed has evolved with this environment. The body has now, more than ever, become an object of conflict and debate where people try to force an ideal concept on individuals. Simply look at the way the body is portrayed in advertising and the media. Ask yourself why are anti-aging products and plastic surgery designed to target women more so than men.

The truth is that the 'ideal form' could never be the same for every individual. The artistic value of the body is that it comes in different structures and sizes and, as a result, appeals to different senses. I am not going to deny that the constant overload, of what is and is not the current superficial look, does not present a challenge in how we view ourselves.

Nevertheless, the pertinent question is how do you want to view yourself? There is certainly nothing wrong with being comfortable in your own skin. If loosing weight or gaining weight will make you a healthier person then by all means do so. However, the only ideal perception of what makes you beautiful should be yours.

Your hair, your skin, your features, your shape and size make you a unique work of art. I don't have to tell you what the solution to the problem is.......LOVE YOURSELF!

Anya 'Tripp' Lorde