Minshall’s message

What, if anything, does the victory of Peter Minshall’s Mas Pieta in the Band of the Year competition say about the state of mas more generally? For us the victory underlines the longevity and influence of Minshall’s artistic vision, even as it raises questions about whether a vacuum is developing in the art of mas.

Mas Pieta’s message, like its design, was simultaneously simple and complex. The band looked back to classic Minshall presentations, such as his Picoplat in 2002, individual costumes like Joy to the World and Tan Tan worn by Allyson Brown in the 1990s, as well as From the Land of the Hummingbird designed for Sherry-Ann Guy in 1974.

If this voyage back created the impression of Minshall going over already-covered ground, it also emphasised the enduring relevance of themes he visited decades ago in his unforgettable bands like the River trilogy which foresaw the environmental crisis now upon us.

“Mother Earth weeps,” the mas man said of his 2020 presentation, which also reflected the idea of a world broken down into elemental parts, a world in which mas is now encountered and consumed more through digital media than it is as a tactile experience in real life.

And still, as the name of the band which produced the mas shows, Minshall’s band was also a reminder that mas is not just about concept and design: it is movement and theatre. Indeed, such has been his influence that it is now standard, at least among the bands that aspire seriously to win Band of the Year, for there to be some form of theatrical element. When Minshall first started to do that decades ago, his detractors were many.

Mas Pieta got 1,347 points while Ronnie and Caro’s The Serengeti placed second with 1,311 points. The Lost Tribe, whose very band name could well be taken to be an homage to Minshall’s classic band of the same name, gave us Anasi, which placed third with 1,289 points.

We congratulate Kinetic Mas and Minshall for their achievement. Indeed, coming more than two decades since Minshall’s last victory, the title feels doubly auspicious. It is perhaps worth noting that in the intervening period, Minshall produced many classic bands that for one reason or another failed to secure the top prize despite their popularity among audiences.

But this is no mere consolation prize, as made clear by the margin of victory. At the same time, Minshall’s triumph will naturally lead many to question whether this marks a return to things past. Or is it a full stop, meant to punctuate a long, distinguished career? And what does it mean when we consider the future of mas itself, for so long synonymous with names like Minshall? Where is mas going? Who will carry it on? Will the mas of yesteryear return?