Now Showing: the launch

Melanie Archer, Art Director of the ttff, right, presents the first print of Now Showing to Nimah Zakuri, Curator of the National Museum and Art Gallery

Christopher Cozier said two things that surprised me on Friday night, at the launch of his print Now Showing, the official work of art for the trinidad+tobago film festival/10.

The first was that the annex of the National Museum and Art Gallery, where the launch was held, was where he entered the world of art, taking classes as a boy with the late MP Alladin in the 1960s. The second was that Friday’s launch marked the first time in almost ten years that he was exhibiting his work here at home.

The first fact was interesting, the second unfortunate. (More than unfortunate, in fact.) It’s good to know then that the Festival was able to help bring Chris back home, in a way. It makes us feel that the Festival artist initiative, which is meant bridge the worlds of film and contemporary art in T&T;, is very much a worthwhile one.

If you’d like to see Now Showing, the piece is on display at the National Museum all this week, along with Mariel Brown’s short film about its making. To read Chris’ notes on Now Showing, go here. To find out about purchasing your own, one-of-a-kind print of Now Showing (limited to an edition of 100, at a cost of TT$2500), call the Festival office at (868) 621 0709 or e-mail melanie@trinidadandtobagofilmfestival.com. International enquiries also welcome.

Christopher Cozier, the official artist of the ttff/10

Part of the audience at the National Museum taking in Chris’ speech

Cinematographer Eniola Adelekan takes in the accompanying work to Now Showing

Also accompanying Chris’ work is Mariel Brown’s film Now Showing: Signs and Stories in Christopher Cozier’s Art

Festival Assistant Celeste Doig, right, gets attorney Ian Benjamin to put himself down for a print of Now Showing