THEMATIC: J'OUVERT
J'ouvert is the official beginning of Carnival. Taking place on Carnival Monday morning, people flood the streets around 2am and smear their faces and bodies with mud, oil, paint, baby powder and sometimes even chocolate syrup all while dancing to live rhythm sections and DJs on trucks with massive sound systems. People play and dance way past sunrise, and then head home to clean up and get dressed for the first day of parading the streets.
Some historical context: Carnival was introduced to Trinidad by French settlers in 1783, a time of slavery. Banned from the masquerade balls of the French, the slaves would stage their own mini-carnivals in their backyards — using their own rituals and folklore, but also imitating and sometimes mocking their masters’ behavior at the masquerade balls.
The origins of street parties associated with J'ouvert coincide with the emancipation from slavery in 1838. Emancipation provided Africans with the opportunity, to not only participate in Carnival, but to embrace it as an expression of their newfound freedom. Some theorize that some J'ouvert traditions are carried forward in remembrance of civil disturbances in Port of Spain, Trinidad, when the people smeared themselves with oil or paint to avoid being recognized.
J'ouvert has since evolved beyond Carnival Monday, becoming a commonly used party format throughout the Caribbean diaspora. A J'ouvert theme and all of its characters could create a fresh, new aesthetic for a Boiler Room broadcast.
DESIGN
Hand painted street signs are how the most grassroots parties and events promote themselves in Trinidad & Tobago. There's a special artistry associated with the signs: the intricacies of gradients, colors, fonts, messaging and illustrations serve different purposes in standing out and getting people to show up.
Bruce Cayonne is known as "D Sign Man." He's an artist true and true, respected by self-taught and European/American-trained designers/artists alike.
Locally handpainted promotional material for a Boiler Room in Trinidad only makes sense.