Twenty-year-old Izia “Jap” Lindsay is a master at grafitti and airbrushing.
Izia “Jap” Lindsay is a young artist who knows no boundaries. He simply wants the world to see and feel his work and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure of it. In his mind are images and stories of things conjured based on situations and feelings, cultural happenings and musings. These are the images that he paints on walls across T&T and he’s hoping that his work will reach the right eyes so that recognition will soon lead to new opportunities.
QRC’s support strengthens a young artist
Now a Cunupia resident, Lindsay said he grew up in Port-of-Spain but moved to Chaguanas when he started secondary school. “I went to QRC,” he said, and quickly added that his creativity is a gift. “I’m the only person in my family who can paint,” he said. He noted that he owes a lot to QRC when it comes to his creative spirit and drive, immediately highlighting his art teacher as an important part of his development. “I think I drew the most in QRC. I had a really supportive teacher named Mr Reyes and he guided me in that direction so I could challenge myself with the medium of spray paint in particular.” In the world of art here in T&T, Lindsay is known for what he does with spray paint—graffiti on walls across the country. In Woodbrook, his work can be seen near the RED96.7FM building along Tragarete road. At his alma mater, he said, he left a piece of himself behind, having been offered the privilege to paint on one of the walls at the institution. At the University of the West Indies, St Augustine where he studies, he has also painted a wall. “My work is more or less always spontaneous, unless I’m hired by a client,” he said, adding that even when he’s contacted by a client who often gives him guidelines, he is usually given the creative space to do as he sees fit. “I’ve never had any sad clients,” he said with a laugh. Explaining that he recently did work for McCann Erickson Advertising agency, where he artistically decorated the employee workstations, Lindsay highlighted other projects in which he had been involved last Carnival. “This season has been a bit slow but last year I worked with Tribe doing their party, Ice. I did airbrush work for them. “This Carnival, I’m doing some banners and stuff, but it’s not as active as last season,” he admitted.
A trip to the US opens his eyes
The 20-year-old, who got into graffiti at the age of 13 after visiting the United States, said his holiday experience back then opened his eyes to the bold persuasion of graffiti art. “It was so unique,” he said. Here at home, at the UWI campus, Lindsay said it was a bit difficult to get the respective authorities to agree to the wall art but eventually, with the support of some members of the guild, he was granted permission. “The idea that I pitched to them was bringing art to people instead of people having to go see art at a gallery or something,” he explained. In addition to landscape graffiti, he is a master when it comes to clothing customisation. He has worked with Converse, creating unique airbrush art on sneakers. And bags, and with Carnival in full swing, the youngster says he’s booked to do some work with the store, prior to Carnival Monday and Tuesday.
In memory of Pat Bishop
The late Pat Bishop, he explained, had taught him during his first year at UWI. He said in an examination, there was a question on graffiti that had him a bit taken aback. He later sought Bishop’s thoughts on it and a relationship was formed. “She had heard about a mural I had done in Curepe and she told me she always wanted to go see it. “She died about a week or two after that and so she never got to see it,” he explained. In honour of Pat Bishop’s support for the graffiti art form, Lindsay said he dedicated the wall at UWI to her. With the wind at his back and creative expression his driving force, the young artist is making his presence felt. He hopes that T&T will understand the beauty of it, and that others can make his art, their own.
