Studio 66, in collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago Philosophical Society, will today convene a panel discussion that will address the philosophy and technique involved in the work of artist LeRoy Clarke over the past four decades. The theme of the discussion will be Obeah in the Quest of Selfhood, Authenticity, and Purpose, and panellists will address this topic through a series of sub themes. The session will be moderated by Tommy Isaac, lecturer at the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC).
Clarke, who was named Master Artist by the National Museum and Art Gallery in 1998, and conferred the title Chief Ifa Oje Won Yomi Abiodun in 2005, sees himself as a pointer man, called to rechart the ruins through his art, poetry and philosophical essays. This year Clarke celebrated his 72nd birthday, which began with the launch of his live-in, living museum on November 6, and continued with readings of his works at the Holy Saviour Anglican Church on November 14, and the launch of his latest publication Voice of a Smouldering Coal at Nalis on November 29. Studio 66, of which he is chief patron, invites the public to participate in this panel discussion, as it seeks to bring a clearer understanding to the works of Clarke.