This Bajan landmark might stop you in your tracks — animal faces peering from trunks, sculptures awash in vibrant colours. There’s even a monumental figure standing for humanity sculpted on the African continent.
But very few people know the man whose hands reveal this art from stone, wood, and even thrown-away items. Barbados TODAY’s Maria Bascombe visited artist Christopher Chandler as he works to transform public space, inviting us to see ourselves and our landscape with fresh eyes.
So you may have seen the Parris Hill mural in St Joseph, and the trees with faces in St John. Less well known may be the stunning Reviving Humanity monument at Sharm-El-Sheikh on the southern edge of Egypt. But even obscure is the man behind the art.
You may have passed him on the street or heard his name, but this artist prefers to be known only by his pieces.
Yet, Christopher Chandler is an internationally renowned sculptor and painter with over 36 years of creating art in its many forms — from sculptures that bring rocks to life to pieces carved from recycled materials, wood and stone, and even paintings inspired by nature. For Chandler, every assignment tells him what it needs, and every creation is inspired by the divine etched into the world around him.
“I don’t carve the trees; I just reveal what’s already in them,” Chandler says, explaining his approach. It is a philosophy that guides not just his art, but his life. To him, every piece tells its own story, whether it’s made from discarded wood, scrap metal, or fallen branches.
Chandler’s works are often what he calls “indigenous” — pieces that are sometimes misunderstood or misinterpreted. The Parris Hill mural, with its intricate layers of colour and texture, draws viewers in, inviting them to linger over the details.
“When people call my work in Paris and other places murals, that’s almost insulting. It’s way so much more… it’s a sculpture,” he explains.
Much of his work is about bringing out what already exists, rather than creating on a blank canvas. “One lady told me I couldn’t paint it yellow when I first started… I was like, OK, watch me. I cannot dictate what the wall wants. It’s there already; I can just look for it,” he says about finishing a piece started by another local artist.
The trees in St John, near his studio, are filled with faces expressing surprise, curiosity, or contemplation — each one engaging passers-by in an unexpected encounter with art in everyday life.
“It’s not really inspiration, it’s vision. It’s how you work with the stone… The recycled art taught me how to carve and how sculpture works. You’re interpreting what’s there already,” he explains. “The trees are just another part of that. I looked at them and thought, hey, they’re faces, there’s stuff in these trees… where with the rocks I have to do more to show it, but with the trees I have to do nothing. That’s why I said it’s a higher power than me.”
Far beyond Barbados, the Reviving Humanity monument in Egypt has introduced his vision to an international audience, joining 155 artists from around the world in a statement of creativity and shared humanity.
Despite his global reach, Chandler remains deeply connected to his roots.
“Barbados is in my veins,” he says. Nature here informs every decision. His inspiration comes not only from what he sees, but from the history, people and stories of the island — an environment that nurtures both imagination and reflection.
Now in his 50s, Chandler was never formally trained in art; he dropped it in school.
“I was never taught art. I had to drop it as a subject for CXC. You see what happened… the vision and ideas for the stone and stuff come from higher sources,” he says.
His career spans decades, yet he has never been afraid to experiment. Early on, he explored painting and traditional sculpture, but soon began incorporating recycled materials, challenging conventional notions of beauty and permanence. For him, every piece carries multiple lives.
“Art isn’t decoration,” he says. “It’s a dialogue between people and the world they live in.”
Chandler is not drawn to the spotlight. “I’m a very low-profile person. The work is all over the world now, but I try to keep myself quiet… and it creates a mystery.”
Yet he enjoys interacting with the public. “Every now and again, people pop in, and I love that. I probably like it more than being in the studio.”
He believes art should be accessible, not confined to galleries or private collections. “When someone walks past a mural or touches a sculpture and feels something, that’s my success. I want people to see the world a little differently, even for a moment.”
His pieces can take anywhere from half an hour to a year to complete, depending on scale, materials and vision.
Even with international exhibitions across Europe, the Americas and Africa, Chandler remains grounded. “I don’t need a plaque or an award. If someone experiences what I’ve created, that’s enough.”
Those who know him describe a man deeply committed to craft, patience and vision — someone whose quiet demeanour masks a fierce dedication to his practice.
Chandler also mentors young artists, sharing techniques and philosophies. He encourages them to see art as more than aesthetics — as an engagement with life, society and the environment.
“Art is about noticing. It’s about paying attention to the small things, and then showing others what you see,” he says.
To young artists, he advises embracing digital tools. “If you really want to get into art, look towards computers in that field.” He encourages parents to support their children’s artistic pursuits. “I don’t know if you’ll have the stomach to do what we’ve done all these years in Barbados… I tell parents, don’t worry about it.”
To fellow artists, Chandler urges collaboration rather than waiting for government support. “Don’t wait for the government. Try to do more things on your own, or as groups, push things together.”
louriannegraham@barbadostoday.bb
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