Marlon Griffith

Just a big-up to Marlon Griffith, a partner I first met in the Trinity Art Foundation where he worked for a few years with Hackett and Warren.

Marlon's moved on over the last few years, and has exhibited and completed residencies in South Africa and Japan. (Man get free trips to two of the three places I want to visit in my lifetime. Like I pick de wrong art.)

I recently bounced up with him while covering an artists' workshop in Aripo (another post in itself) where we finally got a chance to sit down and talk about his time in Japan. It was enlightening, and encouraging.

While I've longed to experience Japan for years, I've always been discouraged by reports of racism and insularity in the society. My nightmare would be to spend thousands of dollars to get there, only to be treated like a subhuman because of my skin. Marlon said that the society is not without its negative nuances, but assured me that a positive, respectful approach to their customs is all that is needed for a smooth stay. He encountered his own challenges as a Trinidadian artist staying with a Japanese family, but he put his best foot forward and made a great impression. How great?

De man left Japan with two samurai swords. TWO! Mudder...

Anyway, here's a sample of some of the work he did using traditional washi paper, and a link to another blog post with some more details of his trip.