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From WWW.HARDBEATNEWS.COM

Jamaican artist Roy Reid has lost a battle with cancer at the age of 72.

Reid was born in 1937 in Portland, Jamaica. and became known primarily for his topical paintings, in which moralizing texts were sometimes used. This earned him the label of `grass-roots philosopher.`

He was largely acknowledged as one of the important figures among Jamaican ‘intuitive’ artists.` Like many others who paint in this tradition, Reid was self-taught and his work was steeped in spirituality, un-selfconscious and spontaneous.

He was featured in numerous publications including `Modern Jamaican Art.` Ian Randle Publishers; `Revue Noire`magazine,` and `Art Today` and Phaidon Press and received the Musgrave Bronze medal for his contribution to the Arts.

Reid was inducted into the Caribbean Development for the Arts and Culture Foundation Hall of Fame in 1999.

He is survived by his wife Mable, two sons, step-children and grand-children.

CLICK HERE TO SEE HIS PAINTINGS

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Fashionistas are losing their minds trying to get their hands on this collector's issue of ItalianVogue Magazine. On the cover are Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn and Naomi Campbell. Kebede is Ethiopian and the other three all have Caribbean roots.....Yea Man!!!! Here are some pics of Naomi ....

UK-born Jourdan Dunn is only 17 and she is one of the hottest young models in the business today.

Sessilee Lopez was born in the US. She is FIERCE...and sheis a fellow blogger. She has more pics from the shoot on her blog

Now though many are glad that there is a black issue, some are arguing that it's just a token act, a give-a-dog-a-bone-and-shut-it-up kind of move. Maybe it is maybe it isn't. But after hearing so many people complain that black models do not get any of the limelight the way white models do , shouldn't we embrace this???? I think it's brave and artsy. Reportedly the magazine was advised against doing it for lack of sales. But this is flying off the racks!!!! Kudos to Italian Vogue for trying a ting (even before Voguse US) and I hope not just magazines but the industry will follow suit!

Here is a video slideshow of the models..See ifyou recognize the Caribbean models above. And no Grace Jones is not there...That is Chanel Iman (another young up and comer) chanelling Jones in her photo spread.