Tribute to Mas Man Wayne Berkeley
Tribute to Mas Man Wayne Berkeley
Innovator. Mastermind. Genius. Perfectionist. Storyteller.
These are just some of the descriptions attributed to the late, great "Showman," Wayne Berkeley. With his passing the national community is left to contemplate and celebrate the life and contributions of a cultural icon, a mas ambassador and true "son of the soil." Berkeley leaves behind a legacy that transcends the artwork, images and costumes he produced over his long and distinguished career as an artist, designer and band leader.
Born in Belmont, Trinidad in 1940, Berkeley's natural talent was evident early on in his life. His prodigious talents flourished under the nurturing guidance of his mother and aunt, who were both renowned floral arrangers, artists and decorators. Berkeley further developed his skills under the tutelage of one of Trinidad's distinguished artists, Mahmoud Pharouk Alladin.
From an early age, Berkeley developed a love for the stage and pursued his passion for production design and staging. During his school years at St Mary's College, Berkeley designed backdrops for various Shakespearean plays as well as for concerts and plays by Belmont's Catholic Youth Organisation. Early in his career, Berkeley designed shop windows and displays in downtown Port of Spain. His broadening interest in the arts involved him in various activities - including fashion designing, Carnival costume design and production, displays, art exhibitions, trade shows, motion picture productions, props, art and craft, interior design, architectural designing and live stage show presentations.
As his love for making mas grew, it became his focus to elevate this aspect of local culture to its highest potential. He was consumed by his craft and gave everything of himself to his work. Always the innovator, Berkeley's designs displayed a special spark of originality and he boldly introduced abstract ideas and fantasy themes that moved away from the early historical depictions and realism that had previously characterised Carnival. As a bandleader, Berkeley implemented and directed an extremely organised and efficient production system, which he tracked meticulously until the last costume was completed and delivered.
Berkeley's drawings and paintings are exquisite in their expression of the very essence of the Carnival spirit. His pieces offer an intangible dimension of human emotion that transcends the three dimensional realm of ordinary artwork. His characters wear expressions of delight, pride and unbridled passion. His portrayals capture the movement, pageantry and splendour of the mas and are open invitations to fantasy. These timeless images provide snapshots of a rampant imagination in constant motion. Through them we are swept up in the rapture of the moment, willingly and wildly abandoning other worldly concerns simply to "play de mas."
Berkeley's brilliance is reflected in every image, photograph, sketch and painting, and vividly etched into the memories of the thousands of loyal revellers who were fortunate enough to play a part in his productions.
Such was his impact that Berkeley was recognised with national honours in the form of the Hummingbird Gold Medal in 1974. His record of 11 "Band of the Year" titles included wins during the decades after WWII, recalled by many as the Golden Age of costume design by celebrated band leaders such as Harold Saldenah, George Bailey, Edmund Hart, Stephen Lee Heung, Irvine McWilliams, Peter Minshall and Raoul Garib.
From 1989-1994, his bands were awarded "Band of the Year" titles for an unprecedented six consecutive years. Berkeley also designed the winning "Queen of the Bands" costumes for a record 12 times and he designed the winning "King of the Bands" on two occasions, in 1976 and 1986.
Wayne Berkeley's designs have been preserved in his 1999 book, Costume Design, Volume 1. His original design drawings were acquired by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and displayed by the National Library (NALIS) in a special collection (firstly in February, 2010 and then in July 2011) through an exhibition entitled, "The Evolution of Costume Design -- The Contribution of Wayne Berkeley 1965 to 2000." A full digital archive of Berkeley's work can be found on the NALIS website www.nalis.gov.tt.
In 2000, Berkeley suffered a massive stroke that left him disabled on his right side. Undaunted, he taught himself to draw with his left hand and continued to design and produce his remarkable creations, including his intricate Carnival dolls and decorative masks. In Carnival 2011, he contributed once again to the design and production of what turned out to be his final Carnival queen, "Eve," for the Catholic Carnival band "Genesis I - Creation."
In his determined struggle to overcome his disability and his tenacious triumph over such a monumental challenge, we are reminded of the resilience of the human spirit and our innate capacity to rise above adversity.This perhaps is the lasting legacy of Wayne Berkeley - a brilliant visionary, extraordinary artist and a man whose dedication and determination will forever remain a source of inspiration to us all.
Barry Franceschi, renowned architect and lifelong friend of Berkeley, believes that "Wayne was the greatest mas man that ever lived. He was a very strong leader. He was humble yet assertive and absolutely, totally committed to what he was doing. You could feel his passion and couldn't help but follow him. He was one of the first innovators of Carnival and a true friend of the arts. I will always remember Wayne as a wonderful friend."
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