Vintage John Flavius/ Alfred Weekes Wire Craft Sculpture ” Barbados Folk Art- 7"

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This is an original, vintage John Flavius/ Alfred Weekes Wire Craft folk art sculpture from Barbados. It is 7" tall … Read more This is an original, vintage John Flavius/ Alfred Weekes Wire Craft folk art sculpture from Barbados. It is 7" tall and features a man in a hat, carrying a staff and carrying a long bag over his shoulder.

Excellent condition and has the original orange label on the bottom indicating it was made by John Flavius and Alfred Weekes. Great condition.

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This is a wonderful piece of Caribbean folk art! John Flavius and Alfred Weekes are highly regarded Barbadian self-taught artists who became famous for their intricate "wire craft" sculptures. Working primarily from the 1970s through the 1990s, they captured daily Bajan life, folklore, and traditional characters using simple wire, sometimes incorporating bits of thread, fabric, or scrap materials.

This 7-inch sculpture represents a classic Barbadian figure:
The Figure: A man wearing a hat, holding a staff, and carrying a long shoulder bag is highly evocative of a traditional Caribbean traveler, a rural laborer heading to work, or a historical folk character.
The Context: In Barbados, such figures often depicted street vendors, cane cutters, or even characters from local folklore (like the "Heartman" or traditional walkers/trackers).
The Craft: Weekes and Flavius were masters at giving static wire incredible movement, personality, and facial expression. Because these were handmade individually, each sculpture is entirely unique.

Pieces by Flavius and Weekes have grown in popularity among collectors of outsider art, folk art, and West Indian memorabilia. See less