Cazabon: New Perspectives

Writer/editor Judy Raymond sums up the widespread appeal of Trinidadian artist Michel Jean Cazabon with these words:

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 paintings alongside several of his contemporaries, while offering critical, new perspectives. I started the design by committing to Freight (and Freight alone!), using various members of the Freight type collection. The book cover pairs Freight Big and Freight Sans; selecting a soft blue that appeared so often in Cazabon’s skies, and option for 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.

More on this project at my portfolio website.