Cazabon: New Perspectives

Graphic design of an art book that offers new perspectives on the work of Michel Jean Cazabon.

As a child growing up in Trinidad with an interest in art, Cazabon was one of the first names to register with me as a local artist of note. Decades later, writer/editor Judy Raymond summed up his widespread appeal: “Cazabon is often described as ‘Trinidad’s nineteenth-century artist,’ an expression that suggests he was one of a kind. He’s considered a pioneer, and indeed in some respects he was. Even more importantly, we think of Cazabon as one of us. He was a Trinidadian, of mixed race, and his work evokes pride and nostalgia and a sense of pleasing familiarity.”

Considering the special place Cazabon has in the hearts of many Trinidadians, I was honoured when, in early 2019, I received an email from art dealer/gallery owner, Mark Pereira, inviting me to design a new book on Cazabon’s work. Unlike other books, this publication would examine Cazabon’s work alongside several of his contemporaries, while offering critical, new perspectives. Mark was extremely professional and insanely organised, which made the process very straightforward and completely enjoyable. I was also happy to collaborate with the writers on the book – several of whom are colleagues I have long admired. I started the design by committing to the text (serif) and sans-serif versions of the Freight typeface superfamily, selecting a blue that appeared so often in Cazabon’s skies, and selecting one of his rarer oil paintings for the cover. A simple grid was established, and a style set for chapter openers. Throughout, I tried to let Cazabon’s work itself guide me, in terms of that balance of areas of focus and wide open spaces that allow the viewer to breathe.

SUMMARY | Role: Graphic Designer
Included cover design and development of interior grid and layout. Also included print specifications and extensive print supervision on press, design of book pre-order form, launch invitation, and social media graphics
Published: October 2019 by Mark Pereira/101 Art Gallery
Editor: Judy Raymond
Texts by: Ken Crichlow, Jackie Hinkson, Mark Pereira, and Judy Raymond