Windrush Amplified Art 2024
2024 saw the launch of the Windrush Amplified Art Grant - a new initiative to support and amplify the artistic talents of the Windrush Generations here in Hackney. Wayne Snooze became the first recipient of the grant with his evocative series of printworks’ Stories from St Thomas’.
In collaboration with partners Build Hollywood, public billboard spaces were dedicated to artworks created by Hackney’s established or up and coming artists. After a call out to photographers, print based artists, poets and writers to respond to the theme for the 2024 festival ‘Windrush: Past, Present and Future’, submissions from Windrush descendants across the borough were received and overseen by renowned visual artist Pogus Caesar who selected Wayne Snooze as the grant recipient.
Pogus was delighted with the “refreshing” submission remarking on the work being “extremely original in the use of traditional methods which is rare these days. A new head with old thoughts that screams heritage in a silent way”. Read below to find out more about the artist and the inspirations behind Stories From St. Thomas.
Stories from St Thomas - Wayne Snooze
Encapsulating the essence of Caribbean life
By using images of current day Jamaica, Wayne’s intention was to “trigger an internal dialogue for people who have a connection to the Caribbean” while drawing from his background as a child of Jamaican immigrants who arrived in the UK during the Windrush era.
Wayne’s work became a series of images using the traditional screen printing technique of Jamaica's historical printing practices. Inspired by the hand-drawn signage seen in Jamaican shops and businesses, the prints aim to exude “a raw, do-it-yourself essence”.
With his work, Wayne aimed to “encapsulate the essence of Caribbean life - its ordinary rhythms, remarkable resilience and serene beauty amidst adversity. Each print will serve as a visual narrative, offering glimpses into the vibrant fabric of Jamaican culture and its enduring spirit”.
“By respectfully capturing the authenticity and vibrancy of Caribbean life, this series seeks to celebrate the richness of the Jamaican experience and provide insight into a world often overlooked or misunderstood.”
“As Caribbean culture has become more popular and accessible since the turbulent days of the Windrush generation arriving in England, I wanted to pay homage by utilising screen printing to illustrate the normal, everyday lives of Jamaicans while embracing the quirks and imperfections of screen printing. The technique is culturally relevant as it was used to create flyers for nights, posters for Jams, record sleeves and more.
As Jamaican culture in particular has grown in popularity, it has been distilled to stereotypical exports. Weed, reggae and “Blo@dcla#ts” have become a cultural passport for a generation who are perhaps unaware of the intricacies of Caribbean life - the diversity of experience on the island and the similarities of Jamaican life to "life inna Hing'lan". Apart from the weather of course…”
Stories From St. Thomas were located on billboards at Chapman Road - Hackney Wick, Dalston Lane and Kingsland Rd - Haggerston from 17 June for two weeks in 2024.
Wayne Snooze and participants of his Island to Island workshop held at Hackney Showroom June 2024
As part of the project, Wayne also led a screen printing workshop ‘Island to Island’ at Hackney Showroom to explore connections of the Islands of the Caribbean and how those from the diaspora have flourished here for select community groups.
Stories from St Thomas - Wayne Snooze
You can visit more of Wayne Snooze’s work, and purchase prints of Stories From St Thomas at: waynesnooze.com