10.10.10
Below are the profiles of some of the people of Chinese heritage who have contributed to the development of Trinidad and Tobago.
ART AND CULTURE
SYBIL ATTECK (1911 - 1975) Sybil Atteck was one of Trinidad and Tobago's leading artists and this country's first outstanding female painter. She was a founding member of the Trinidad and Tobago Art Society and her work is prized both at home and abroad.
AMY LEONG PANG (1908 - 1989) Amy Leong Pang was a founding member of the Society of Trinidad Independents, a group of local artists who met to discuss ideas and themes to paint in the early 1930s. Dedicated to painting and developing West Indian themes and experimenting with various styles, Amy Leong Pang was a pioneer in her time and a close friend and collaborator with the artist Hugh Stollmeyer.
CARLISLE CHANG (1921 - 2001) Carlisle Chang was born on 21 April 1921, in San Juan. He attended Tranquility Government School. His early art education included a correspondence course from the Washington School of Art, a two year study program under Amy Leong-Pang, and a Master's certificate from the New York Institute of Photography. In 1950 he won the British Council Scholarship, which enabled him to study poetry, painting and mural painting at the L.C.C. Central School of Arts and Crafts, London, where he received the diploma in 1953. He also won an Italian Government Scholarship to the Instituto Statale d'Arte for Ceramics in Faenza in 1953.
Chang returned to Trinidad in 1954, and in 1955 opened an art studio. The period from 1955 to 1980 was the most productive and rewarding time of his career, with over ten murals in various media, costumes and sets for both theatre and ballet, concepts and designs for more than 12 years of Carnival and easel paintings in water-colour and oils. His work was sought after by both local as well as foreign curators from Europe and South America. He designed the Coat of Arms for the Federation of the West Indies, and the one for Trinidad and Tobago. In addition he was member of the sub-committee for the flag and insignia of Trinidad and Tobago. In 1970, Chang started Guyapa Industries Limited, which produced various forms of handicraft. He switched to interior design. He worked on such projects as the Seetaram House, Santa Margarita, the Nigerian High Commission and various branches of the Workers’ Bank of Trinidad and Tobago. Two of his most renowned pieces are Conquerabia (2002) and the 40-foot mural entitled The Inherent Nobility of Man.
Chang received various awards in recognition of his achievements. These include the: VII Bienal de Sao Paulo Bronze Medal (1963), the Chase Manhattan Inaugural first prize, Humming Bird Medal-Silver for Fine Arts (1964), Citation from the Press Club of Lausanne Switzerland (1972), Beryl McBurnie Foundation Certificate of Honour (1987), President’s Honour Award for Art (1991), Trinidad Art Society’s Golden Anniversary Honour Award (1993), and National Carnival Bands Lifetime Achievement Award (2001). He died in 2001.
PAT CHU FOON (1931 - 1998) Patrick Warsing Chu Foon was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad on 3rd October 1932. His family lived above his father's shop on Park Street. He attended Rosary Boys RC School and later Tranquility Intermediate for his higher education. He developed a talent for drawing butterflies, peacocks and the nature scenes he saw on the Chinese Art his father had brought from his homeland. Carnival too, was to inspire Pat's love of colour, which was later expressed in his carnival costumes.
In 1963 Chu Foon received a scholarship to study at the University of the Americas, Mexico, where he gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine and Applied Arts in 1967. He continued his studies in sculpture at the Universidad National de Mexico, Academia San Carlos. He was the first Trinidadian and one of the first Caribbean artists to exhibit his work at the International Salon, Museum of Fine Arts, Mexico.
On his return to Trinidad and Tobago in 1968, Chu Foon joined the Ministry of Culture as a teacher at the Teachers Training College. Later he became a Cultural Officer II within the Ministry. From the period 1981 to 1984 Chu Foon held office as the Acting Director of Culture and Youth Affairs. He became the Cultural Officer II from 1984 until his retirement in 1988. During his career Chu Foon held many exhibitions both at home and abroad. A few of his many works include the Ghandi Statue, Tribute to the Steelband Movement, and Claude Noel. He also has many abstract paintings located at the Bank of Nova Scotia, Trinidad and Tobago Limited.
Chu Foon’s first honour was the Chase Manhattan Award for painting in 1960. He went on to attain the Hemi Scholarship Award from the University of the Americas in 1963 and various Trinidad Art Society awards. He was the first artist to receive the Hummingbird Medal - one of Trinidad and Tobago's national awards for sculpture - in 1983.
Iformation and images:Nalis Online Library