Page 65 - Reggae Festival Guide Magazine 2018

he International Reggae Poster stimulates urban transformation. The IRPC is a
Contest (IRPC) is an initiative designed
to celebrate positive international
T reggae culture and music, highlighting
the globalization of reggae and the resounding
impact of its message. The umbrella term
“reggae” encompasses all the popular Jamaican
music genres: ska, rocksteady, roots reggae,
dub, dancehall and the unique Jamaican
sound system. Reggae is more than music –
it’s a culture. It encompasses music, art, dance,
politics, religion, the local Jamaican language of
patois and social commentary. Artists are called
to reflect this vibrancy in their submissions.
IRPC was founded in 2011 by two artists: the late
Michael Thompson (a.k.a. Freestylee, Artist Without
Borders) from Jamaica and Maria Papaefstathiou
from Greece. For each of the six contests thus far,
artists are directed to create an original poster
design that captures the energy and vibe of
reggae; the rest is up to the artist’s imagination.
Since its start, the IRPC has received over
6,000 amazing posters. You’ll see references to
sound system culture, Rastafari, the doctrine
of One Love, war and, almost certainly, Bob
Marley. Amazingly, these pieces of art come
from all over the world, from the far reaches of
China, over to Mexico, across to Russia, Ghana,
Iceland, Poland, South Africa, Costa Rica, Turkey,
Kazakhstan, Iran and beyond. Clearly, reggae
has a huge impact that is felt worldwide.
This impact is actually what IRPC aims to
highlight, and through this, start an international
conversation and vision of erecting a world-class
Reggae Hall of Fame museum and performance
center in Kingston, Jamaica, that will celebrate
the voice, vision and vocabulary of Jamaican
popular music. The ideal architect for this grand
enterprise is Frank Gehry, a name synonymous
with inspiring architectural design that
global campaign that uses the powerful tools
of social media and creative expression through
the medium of the visual arts.
The other important objective of IRPC is to help
raise awareness of the Alpha Boys’ School,
a vocational institution for underprivileged
youths, located in the heart of Kingston and
founded in 1880 by the Sisters of Mercy. This
school is a great Jamaican success story,
producing some of the most notable legends in
the history of reggae, including Don Drummond
of the Skatalites, singer Desmond Dekker and
one of dancehall’s first superstars: Yellowman.
Without this fertile training ground, we might
not have seen the flourishing of the global
music we call reggae. IRPC believes that this
remarkable institution should be celebrated
and replicated, and works to achieve this by
selling and auctioning its posters.
IRPC also raises awareness for the HELP
Jamaica! (HJ) non-profit organization, which
raises funds to support and establish library
and education projects in deprived Jamaican
communities with the aim of providing free access
to education, books and computers, homework
assistance and other activities particularly for
children and youth who don’t otherwise have
access to these facilities. HJ’s programs aim to
strengthen and inspire individuals and thus
improve, uplift and unite the community.
The 6th International Reggae Poster Contest of
2017 received 1060 poster submissions from
582 designers in 68 countries. Like their artwork,
this response beautifully illustrates how people
worldwide resonant with the messages, lifestyle,
art and music of reggae. Winners were announced
in May 2018. For more information about IRPC
and to view all amazing past poster submissions,
visit ReggaePosterContest.com.
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