Ras ishi butcher biography of abraham

By Dave Cox

Growing up I vividly remember there was a commercial on TV about an art exhibition at the Queens Park Gallery.

Ras Akyem Ramsay – U.S. Department of State - Art in Embassies

It featured a dramatic voice saying, ‘VEX! RasIshi and RasAykem are VEX!’ For some reason this commercial always made me smile. I couldn’t understand the need for the over-the-top rendition and I definitely never understood why these two artists were so upset.

Over twenty years after I last heard that commercial the universe has given me a chance to solve one of mypersonal mysteries.

In his studio in Sealy Hall, St. John I sit down with the legendary RasIshi Butcher.

Artist Review: Ras Ishi Butcher - Living Barbados

My first question of course is,“Why were you VEX?” Sitting stoically in the corner with the afternoon sun gleaming through the window on his silver dreadlocks he strokes his beard and laughs. “We were young and we had a lot to say then.”

RasIshi Butcher was born in 1965 and grew up in St. John. At primary school he remembers doing drawing and painting and being enthralled by it.

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