Guyana George Simon (artist and archaeologist)

simon members of lokono artists group. left right: puffy clenkien, telford taylor, ossie hussein (standing), foster simon, george simon , lynus clenkien

during these years, simon worked hard improve training , development opportunities amerindian artists in guyana. concerned amerindians village not going far in education , simon founded drawing , design workshop in st cuthbert s mission in august 1988. workshop fostered number of artistic talents have since achieved artistic recognition in own right, including oswald ( ossie ) hussein, roaland taylor , lynus clenkien. these artists - including simon - known collectively lokono artists group.

in february 1991, simon organised exhibition of own work along work of 9 other artists lokono artists group @ hadfield foundation. exhibition entitled contemporary amerindian art. according university of guyana lecturer alim hosein, exhibition constituted ground shift in guyanese art : exhibition [...] broke boundaries , conceptions of amerindian art in guyana, , indeed made serious claim there such thing amerindian art, claim based on far more appearance of amerindian motifs in artwork persons of amerindian descent. abundance of excellent work, new visual imagination , sheer number of artists [...] small population of guyanese, introduced amerindians serious force in local art , added new dimension @ time when expressions other artists scarce . contemporary amerindian art launched tradition of exhibitions of amerindian art organised years part of amerindian heritage month.