‘It’s very political, it reminds me of those Mexican artworks, the way it’s done. The Mexican banners, striking images, big posters, they were so radical.’

‘He’s obviously talking about slavery.’

‘The black slave with that restriction around his neck; yes, that’s what they used to put round their necks to shackle them when they put them on the boats. The boats to bring them over and the blood is going into his eye.’

‘They need the slave. It’s their blood, it’s as important as their own life blood.’

‘It’s a very strong and political image. It’s striking and direct. In shackling the black slave and holding him above his head, he’s like a trophy.’

Llewellyn Xavier was born in St. Lucia in 1945. He was given a set of watercolours when he was a teenager and he began to paint. In 1968 he moved to Britain and became involved in Mail Art – small scale pieces of work that were sent by post. He moved to North America in 1979 and for a while became a Cistercian monk in Montreal. He later moved back to St. Lucia and married.

This print was produced in the 1970s, a time of evolution both socially and artistically.