Laura Anderson Barbata - Transcommunality

Pure joy jumps from the pages of the book TRANSCOMMUNALITY by Laura Anderson Barbata. The New York and Mexico City based artist has worked with stilt dancing communities in Trinidad, New York and Oaxaca over the course of many years and one of the results is this incredibly beautiful book about her incredibly beautiful work with, for and about them. I am honored to have some photography in it next to the images of Marcho Pacheco, Frank Veronsky (also cover photo), Stefan Hagen and others. It was designed by Rafael Esquer and his team at Alfalfa Studio in New York. Juan Garcia de Oteyza coordinated the design and production for the publisher Turner / Spain. It can be ordered in Europe from Turner here, distribution in the US and elsewhere will start soon and I will add the link here asap.
Laura Anderson Barbata's website: http://www.lauraandersonbarbata.com
The 230 page book is subtitled 'Interventions and Collaborations in Stilt Dancing Communities'.

Moko Jumbies in GEO Saison

one of my images from 'Moko Jumbies / Stiltwalkers of Trinidad' published in german GEO Saison 2/2011. Probably at this point one of my most published photographs. And one of my favorites.

More images at http://www.stefanfalke.com/#/stories/Moko%20Jumbies/1

Moko Jumbies in Conde Nast Traveler

One of my photographs from the series 'Moko Jumbies: the stiltwalkers of Trinidad' was published in the 07/2010 issue of Conde Nast Traveler. View more Moko Jumbies images here: http://www.stefanfalke.com/#/stories/Moko%20Jumbies/1

Among Tender Roots

Artist Laura Anderson Barbata used one of my images of the 'Keylemanhjahro School of Arts & Culture' in Trinidad (in costumes designed by Laura) for her new show at the Chicago Center for Books and Paper at Columbia College in Chicago Jan 15 - April 9. If you are in Chicago, a must see !!!

Press release about the show:
Best known for her series of collaborative community-directed
projects, Laura Anderson Barbata’s work finds expression in the
service of cultural exploration and group participation. Born in
Mexico City, currently living in New York and Mexico, she exhibits
internationally in Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, Europe, and the United
States, and has shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
New York, the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City, The Modern
Art Museum of Fort Worth, and the Museum of Modern Art in
Rio de Janeiro.
Ms. Barbata works within a wide variety of cultures to create art
that has great meaning and relevance for her collaborators.
This exhibition documents Barbata’s collaborations with these
communities through books, handmade paper, printworks,
sculpture, video, installation and photographs.
Included in the exhibition are projects with an indigenous people
of Venezuela, the Yanomami, with whom she created two handmade
book, Shapono and lwariwe; the GRAS project in Trinidad,
where local school children in Grande Riviere are taught art through
recycling; and finally, Moko Jumbies, a multidimensional project
involving brightly-costumed stilt walkers in locations ranging from
Trinidad to Brooklyn. The aim of these projects is two-fold: to
reduce local deforestation through the use of recycled paper
and locally sustainable plant fibers, and to assist communities
in developing long-term paper and printmaking projects that aid
in cultural and economic sustainability.
Barbata’s own videos, sculptures, and prints are an integral part
of these social projects, both inspired by them and engaging in
another means of mirroring back these concerns. In the words of
the artist, “I started my work in more of a conventional way in the
studio and felt that it really needed to address those things that
touch my life, and I couldn’t do it from my studio. I would say that
my main motivation is to put my concerns into action.”

Join the MOKO JUMBIES on facebook here

Join Laura Anderson Barbata / mx-lab on facebook

Moko Jumbies and UNICEF

This image from my series about a stilt walking school in Trinidad (and the resulting book 'MOKO JUMBIES: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad') received an Honorable Mentioning from the UNICEF Photo Award in Germany in 2004, and was printed again last week in a special edition of Unicef's German magazine.

Moko Jumbies Gallery click here

Moko Jumbie stock photo

One of the images from my book 'MOKO JUMBIES: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad' was used on the cover of 'Theatre Survey volume 50 number 1', by the American Society for Theatre Research, published by The Cambridge University Press.

Moko Jumbies in National Geographic Traveler

Two Moko Jumbies, stilt walkers of the Dragon Keylemanjahro School of Art & Culture in Trinidad, are gracing the last page of the Jan/Feb 2009 issue of the National Geographic Traveler magazine. It is their 7th annual photo issue.

My Moko Jumbies portfolio click here

Stefan Falke, Photography, National Geographic, Moko Jumbies, Trinidad, Carnival

Brooklyn Jumbies

The stilt walking Brooklyn Jumbies (yes, there is a whole fabulous group of MOKO JUMBIES right here in Brooklyn !!!) came over to Manhattan today to help out with the The Children's Museum of the Arts Halloween Festival. The amazing costumes are the work of New York based artist Laura Anderson Barbata ( below)

Become a facebook fan of Trinidad's MOKO JUMBIES here

See portfolio: Moko Jumbies in Trinidad

Moko Jumbies Poster

The Conference on African and Afro-Caribbean Performance at the University in Berkeley, California, is long over (Sept. 26.-28.), but I just got the poster which used one of my Moko Jumbies (stilt dancers) images from Trinidad. Since the tradition of dancing on stilts came to Trinidad from West Africa, this was a perfect match for the topic of the conference. Look out for another Moko Jumbies image and their story in the Jan/Feb issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine, under 'Strange Planet'...

See portfolio: Moko Jumbies in Trinidad

The Moko Jumbies Book on YouTube

For quiet some time now I was looking for a point and shoot camera that produces the quality images that I get from my Nikon D200. And that shoots raw !! Along came the Canon G9 and I tried to get myself one of these fine little 'toys'. Seems that I wasn't the only one looking, the G9 was sold out in most camera stores in New York. So I ordered one on Amazon (did I ever think I would buy a camera this way !) and kept on missing the UPS man ....well, long story short, it has arrived, love it already and the first thing I did was shooting this video, which is not what I bought the camera for but I tell you, it is fun shooting 30 frames per second once in a while. And nothing wrong with a bit of (free) advertising for my own book !!
Visit me on YouTube here:
http://uk.youtube.com/profile?user=stefanfalke

More about the book on this blog click here

Moko Jumbies Stilts Trinidad and Tobago Photography Books Arts and Culture Earl Lovelace Geoffrey Holder Pointed Leaf Press Stefan Falke

See portfolio: Moko Jumbies in Trinidad

The Ultimate Holiday Gift !!!

Allow me to mention my coffee table book MOKO JUMBIES: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad again, a visual record of a stiltwalking school, the Dragon Keylemanjahro School of Arts & Culture, in Trinidad, with a preface by Goeffrey Holder and an introduction by Earl Lovelace. it has 216 pages with over 200 color photographs (ISBN: 0-9727661-3-8)
It is the only book about stiltwalking on the planet !!!Please view pages from the book at:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=stefanfalke
www.flickr.com/photos/stefanfalke
www.myspace.com/stefanfalkeYou can order it from Amazon here:
Moko Jumbies: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad
















Some reviews of the book:

Midwest Book Review:
Highly recommended, a top pick for art library holdings.
Children’s Books Author Maryann V. Macdonald:
You've never seen images anything like these...it's hard to find the words to describe them, so I'll try for just one: A boy in black and red with flowing gold "wings" is striding joyfully along a road bordered by a corrugated iron fence, but he has risen above that impoverished world on his stilts, and is profiled by the magic of a purple sky....
The Caribbean Review of Books:
Any artist who succeeds in opening up aspects of a culture to a foreign audience can count it as a job well done. When, however, that artist succeeds in opening up aspects of a culture to its own people, then the job becomes all the more remarkable. This is precisely what German photographer Stefan Falke has done with his resplendent book Moko Jumbies: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad. read the whole review



See portfolio: Moko Jumbies in Trinidad

Moko Jumbies Stilts Trinidad and Tobago Photography Books Arts and Culture Earl Lovelace Geoffrey Holder Pointed Leaf Press Stefan Falke

Moko Jumbies in The New York Times

One of my images of a Moko Jumbie was just published in The New York Times to illustrate a very positive review of artist Laura Anderson Barbata's current exhibition Jumbie Camp ! at the Galeria Ramis Barquet in Chelsea, where she introduces her fabulous costumes and designs, made for the Trinidadian stilt walking (Moko Jumbies) school 'Dragon' Keylemanjahro School of Arts & Culture, to the public. Workshops and a live performance are part of the program.
The image shows stilt walking student Ria Walters, member of the above mentioned school, performing in one of Laura's costumes during Carnival in Trinidad.

The photo was used by the artist to produce a lenticular which is on view at the gallery.

!!! DON'T MISS tomorrows (Sept. 15., 3 pm) live performance by the Brooklyn Jumbies in front of the gallery, 24th street between 10th ad 11th avenue !!!

Read Holland Cotter's review by clicking here...

Laura Barbata Anderson Art Artists Carnival Trinidad and Tobago Costumes Moko Jumbies Photography Stefan Falke

MAS': From Process to Procession

I am pleased to announce my participation in an exhibition called MAS': From Process to Procession / Caribbean Carnival as Art Practice at the BRIC's Rotunda Gallery in Brooklyn Heights from Sept. 12 - October 20. Guest curator Claire Tancons choose eight artists from all over the world "ranging from performance to professional artists to masmen (masqueraders). Coming from and/or having worked in the Caribbean, all the artists in the exhibition recognize Carnival as a potent vehicle for contempory artistic practice with a public reach and a global appeal". The artists are Laura Anderson Barbata, Nicolas Dumit Esteves, Stefan Falke, Marlon Griffith, Karyn Olivier, Caecilia Tripp, Superior Concept Monsters (Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles) .
Below (and above, used for the add) some images fom my book MOKO JUMBIES: The Dancing Spirits of Trinidad, which will be shown at the exhibition. Opening Reception: Wednesday, September 12, 7 to 9pm. BRIC's Rotunda Gallery is located at 33 Clinton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. There will be a Panel Discussion Thursday, September 20, 7pm, which I will miss, since I am currently on assignment in Germany.













































Laura Barbata Anderson Art Artists Carnival Trinidad and Tobago Costumes Moko Jumbies Photography Stefan Falke

Jumbie Camp !

Don't miss artist Laura Barbata Anderson's project Jumbie camp ! at the Galeria Ramis Barquet in Chelsea. And look out for the ad (above) in the September issue of Artforum. I shot the image of this Moko Jumbie at the African Festival in Brooklyn a few month ago. He wears a costume designed by Laura and is a member of the Brooklyn Jumbies. Unfortunately I will miss the whole action, I can't get away from a long term job in Germany.
To better explain what is going on, here is the official press release:

Jumbie Camp
a mx-lab project
By Laura Anderson Barbata
Featuring the Brooklyn Jumbies and Stefan Falke

Street performance: Saturday, September 15th at 3 pm

Galeria Ramis Barquet is pleased to announce Jumbie Camp by Laura Anderson Barbata.

For the duration of Jumbie Camp the gallery space will be transformed into a workshop and rehearsal space where costumes and masks for a number of street performances featuring the Brooklyn Jumbies will be created or restored. The artist hopes to challenge the dynamics of the gallery space and its normal activities by making it a part of the creative process and by bringing about a greater engagement with the surrounding community. By shifting its environment as different activities progress, the gallery audience will have an opportunity to participate in the project in a number of capacities. Gallery visitors are encouraged to immerse themselves in the workshop space and help in any way they can. Additionally, there will also be weekly workshops that will teach participants various aspects of the Jumbie experience, for example, a stilt-walking session will be offered.

Laura Anderson Barbata has been working in the social realm since 1992. In 2002 she began working with Dragon Keylemanjahro School of Arts and Culture in Trinidad, a community center completely operated through volunteer participation from residents of the neighborhood. The project focuses on providing free of charge extracurricular activities to youth of a low-income area of Port of Spain, as well as reviving the art and tradition of West African stilt walking in Trinidad. Through artistic interventions during special events, carnival competitions, workshops and outreach programs, the group reinforces social ideals such as healthy life choices and respect for cultural heritage. Today, Laura is working under the same concept with the Brooklyn Jumbies.

In addition to the workshop, the gallery will be exhibiting Anderson Barbata’s costume work, as well as three lenticular prints made as a collaboration between the artist and photographer Stefan Falke. There will also be video projections of the group’s performances in Trinidad and Tobago.

Laura Anderson Barbata was born in Mexico City. She lives and works in New York City. Recent solo exhibitions include Dos Vírgenes at Galería La Refaccionaria in Mexico City. Her recent group exhibitions include Vestige/Vestigio: Laura Anderson Barbata, Oscar Muñoz, Betsabeé Romero at the CU Art Museum in Boulder, Colorado and BALANCE! Heiligendamm, in Bad Doberan, Germany.

Laura Barbata Anderson Art Artists Carnival Trinidad and Tobago Costumes Moko Jumbies Photography Stefan Falke

Moko Jumbies Movie

German filmmaker Harald Rumpf shot a 51 minute documentary about the Moko Jumbies (stilt walkers) of the Dragon Kilimanjaro School of Arts & Culture in Trinidad and Tobago, titled 'Up & Dancing - The Magic Stilts of Trinidad'. The production company, Leykauf Film, used one of my Moko Jumbies 2007 images for the cover of the DVD, which will be presented to various European TV stations. I had also photographed the stills for Harald Rumpf's previous documentary about rap musicians in New York, titled Hip Hop - A Tale From The Hood, filmed in Harlem and the Bronx.

Please also go to:
Moko Jumbies Book
Moko Jumbies 2007

Film Movies Harald Rumpf Trinidad and Tobago Moko Jumbies Arts and Culture Stefan Falke Photography

Moko Jumbies 2007

I am back from Trinidad editing my images of the Moko Jumbies in the Junior Carnival Parade from last Saturday. It was not easy to shoot different pictures of an event that I have shot annually for 10 years now and published a book on the subject, but I must say I was getting excited all over again as soon as the students of the Dragon Keylemanjahro School of Arts & Culture put on their stilts und got going. This year was particularly difficult for them because many of the costumes were not ready or simply not there because the band's designer, Laura Anderson Barbata, could not get out of New York due to a snowstorm. But the kids really made the best of it and a fabulous fire blowing Red Devil cleared the way through downtown Port of Spain and up to the Savannah.

Shooting digital in the Caribbean isn't all that easy, the light is brutal except for right after sunrise and right before sunset. Or dark clouds race across the sky, creating a dramatic light change of up to 5 f-stops in a matter of split seconds and just when I adjust my camera settings it is back to the normal super bright. In any event you get very dark shadows and I don't like to use fill in flash, which would make sense here and there, but I am stubborn with that. Not that it was any easier shooting slides on good old Fuji Provia 100, which seems like 100 years ago.















































I am glad I found a way to show vertical pictures here without destroying the design of the page...anyway, I am happy with the result of this years Moko Jumbies images and it was really good to be back in Trinidad & Tobago. Thanks to an invitation from Wendell Manwarren of 3canal I got to see The 3canal Bacchanal Show 2007 Carnival Show and it was fabulous ! Thanks, Wendell ! And thank you Laura for sending me here !

Join the MOKO JUMBIES on Facebook here

Please also visit my website for the Moko Jumbies Gallery

www.stefanfalke.com

Fire Dance Artists Carnival Trinidad and Tobago Costumes Moko Jumbies Photography Stefan Falke

Friendly Fire

No, I did not take this image in one of the many well known trouble spots around the world and if you are slightly familiar with my work, then the pair of stilts leaning against the fence should give away the location. This is the beginning of an exercise in fire eating or fire blowing at the Dragon Keylemanjahro School of Arts & Culture in Trinidad. One of these young men will lead the Junior Carnival Parade in Port Of Spain as a fire blowing Red Devil this weekend, clearing the way for a throng of Moko Jumbies. Where else is the sight of a burning bottle actually good news !?!













































Please also visit my related posts:
Moko Jumbies Book
Moko Jumbie Heaven
The Dragon Can Dance
Off To Trinidad Again

Fire Dance Artists Carnival Trinidad and Tobago Costumes Moko Jumbies Photography Stefan Falke