Barbados and the region have lost a legend. The words of Prime Minister Mia Mottley as she paid tribute to the late Patrick Michael Foster, legendary artist, playwright, actor, director and author.
She said Foster was one of the ‘very special individuals’ who walked among us, and his passing will leave a huge void in many areas of our national creative enterprise.
Born in Guyana, Foster received his education in Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom and spent the majority of his adult life living and working in Barbados. The prime minister said his diverse background and regional journey shaped a body of work that reflected the Caribbean’s cultural richness and African heritage.
“Whether it is through his sketches or paintings, his writing or his directing, his acting or on-air adventures, Patrick has left a body of work, a legacy of creativity, that provides a rich cultural playbook of Caribbean life as the perfect guide for any young and aspiring thespian. I considered myself lucky to have been exposed to different aspects of his work from a very young age.”
Despite the well-known exploits of other family members, Foster forged his own path by drawing on the region’s folklore. The prime minister noted that his approach brought authenticity and originality to the Caribbean stage and screen.
“I am confident that the works he has left behind will sustain our appetite for the highest quality offerings of the arts for years to come. It is my wish that those who worked with Patrick in the creative industry, as well as those at the National Cultural Foundation and other state agencies charged with the promotion and preservation of our culture, will use the occasion of his passing to do what we have not done as well as we could have while he walked among us: ensure that young Barbadians are offered unparalleled exposure to the creative genius of this adopted Bajan.”
In 2023, Foster was recognised with the Earl Warner Trust Lifetime Achievement Award at an event hosted by the Earl Warner Trust (Barbados) and the Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts at The University of the West Indies Cave Hill campus.
Earlier this year, his work was featured in an exhibition at the Queen’s Park Gallery, presented by the National Cultural Foundation, further highlighting his impact on Barbados’ artistic heritage. (PR/BT)
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