Moko Jumbie Street Furniture

The Moko Jumbie theatre and seating designs, designed for the Mas Camp, are inspired by the mathematical shape vesica piscis otherwise known as mandorla (pointed oval), which consists of two intersecting congruent circles.

The circles and their intersections are considered sacred geometry that have inspired symbolic designs and architecture throughout history. They represent the unity, partnership, and collaboration required for balance to occur. The circles also represent eyeballs that are a metaphor for the increased vision the Moko Jumbie student gains as they become more comfortable at new heights. The mandorla design pattern is also repeated in the red/orange seating units.

The community practice of balancing on sticks requires specialized areas for practice. The street furniture is designed for the ergonomics of Moko Jumbie seating, mounting, and training. The seating arms of the theatre embrace and welcome families and friends during the process of learning to balance.

About the Artist

Michael Lee Poy is an Assistant Professor at OCAD University and an Afro-Caribbean artist/designer/activist/architect from Trinidad and Tobago and Canada. His practice and interests are centred on post-colonial Caribbean design and fabrication in the festival arts – especially Carnival. A graduate of Pratt Institute of Technology in architecture (B. Arch.) and the Yale Graduate School of Architecture, Environmental Design (MED), Michael aims to use interdisciplinarity to augment the innovative, creative, and collaborative process of design. For the past five years, Michael has been incubating the Moko Jumbie Mas Camp workshops for children aged 7-17. The masquerade (mas) camps are designed and implemented as socially conscious design/build and fabrication/studio/lab workshops.

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