Painting Poetry

About the Book

Painting Poetry is an anthology of poetic interpretations of art presenting thirty poems written by Adisa ‘AJA’ Andwele and images of paintings by seventeen artists. 

The artists are Ras Akyem, Ras Ishi, Ras Jahaziel, Omowale Stewart, Corrie Scott, Heather-Dawn Scott, Pierre Nigel and Jadisa Andwele from Barbados; the late Andre Normil and Frantz Zephirin from Haiti; the late Romare Bearden, Alaiyo Bradshaw and Chrissie Dowler from the USA; and from Cuba, the late Wifredo Lam, Omar Estrada, Annie Maxwell and Jesus Gastell Soto.

The poetry and paintings cover themes related to the Caribbean’s multicultural history, including the survival of African culture—its social, cultural, and religious practices in the Americas as well as nature, abstract forms, and social interactions within urban landscape.

Painting Poetry symbolizes a journey along two paths—two different physical creative dimensions—but within the experiences is a common destination as the paths lead to the same space.

About the Author

Adisa ‘Aja’ Andwele is a Barbadian-born poet, writer, musician, producer of entertainment and cultural events, and cultural activist. A product of post-independent Barbados, Aja’s works speak to the dynamics of the island’s colonial history as well of other Caribbean territories—slavery, the struggle of African heritage to survive, and the pursuit of the region to overcome its colonial-inherited social and cultural malformations. Additionally, they reflect solidarity with people around the world who experienced a similar historical dynamic. Born Michael Richards (1957) in Rock Hall, St. Thomas (the first Free Village in Barbados), in 1993, he legally changed his name and also aligned with some principals of Rastafari, which represent a resistance to the colonial images that were socialized within Caribbean consciousness. In 2003, Aja transformed his poetry from the page and the stage in practical initiatives. This commenced his journey as a humanitarian, including recognition as a UNDP spokesperson for peace and poverty eradication. www.reverbnation.com/ajapoet www.facebook.com/AJApoet www.youtube.com/AJAthepoet E-mail: ajapoet@hotmail.com Tel: 917-797-9173