Michael Boothman presents Retrospective exhibition

Retrospective, a major exhibition celebrating the prolific visual artistry of musician and cultural icon Michael Boothman, will be held at Arnim's Art Galleria from October 3.

While celebrated globally for his musical contributions, Boothman is a truly multidisciplinary creative whose equally powerful visual expression has remained a lesser-known facet of his immense talent.

A media release said, this exhibition serves as a rediscovery of a visual career that spans decades. While his works have been featured in shows across Trinidad, Barbados, St Thomas, Grenada, and New York since the late 1960s, this side of his talent has remained known primarily within specific arts circles. According to exhibition curator Karl Doyle, this presentation is a vital and long-overdue exploration of a career that defies singular categorisation, and of the artistic legacy he has built over decades.

Boothman's art serves as a powerful visual chronicle of his life, with the selections charting a decades-long journey through his styles, themes, moods and creative evolution. While a personal journey for Boothman, Doyle highlights that the exhibition is a poignant testament to the profound artistic resilience of a Caribbean creative who has persevered in spite of the personal costs that a creative life demands. Collectors and enthusiasts are invited to step into a shared cultural history, offering a rare opportunity to stand alongside the artist and experience his extensive body of work firsthand.

"I'm a creative. The things I'm inspired by are my surroundings and environment," Boothman said. "I like to reflect on the past... to represent nostalgia." His works range from portraits of musical luminaries to vibrant abstract pieces and still life, all executed in various media including acrylic paints, pastels, pencil and wood carvings. The brilliant Caribbean colours that radiate from his art are a testament to his dual passions and deep connection to his surroundings.

Honoured with the Hummingbird Medal (Gold) for culture and the arts, Boothman has been a leading figure in music for over 60 years. A pioneer of the Kysofusion genre and a key figure in the evolution of soca, his celebrated work as a composer, arranger, and performer led to the landmark album, Heaven and appearances at major international music festivals including Montreux and Glastonbury, the release said.

The exhibition opens to the public on October 3 from 6 pm-9 pm and continues until October 17 at the gallery, Tragarete Road, Port of Spain. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9 am-6 pm and Saturday from 9 am-4 pm.