Life George Simon (artist and archaeologist)

1 life

1.1 years
1.2 england
1.3 guyana

1.3.1 lokono artists group


1.4 further study in england
1.5 travels in chad, france, canada , haiti
1.6 return guyana

1.6.1 berbice archaeology project


1.7 recognition

life
early years

george simon (far left) @ school in st. cuthbert s mission.

george simon born on 23 april 1947 olive , mark simon in st. cuthbert s mission on mahaicony river in british guiana (now guyana). father woodcutter, , mother housewife. simon attended school @ st cuthbert s mission until age of 12. discussing years in interview 1994/5, simon recalled way in mission school stifled expressions of amerindian culture: found speaking arawak in class flogged [...] in general, amerindian culture discouraged , made feel inferior .

when 12 years old, simon adopted james william pink - english anglican priest serving in mahaica-berbice region @ time. subsequently moved foster-father linden , georgetown, studied english, mathematics, geography, hygiene, physiology , art @ christ church secondary school.

england

in 1970, simon , foster-father moved essex, england. 1972 1974 simon studied a-level art @ thurrock , basildon college in grays, essex. in 1975, enrolled @ university of portsmouth studied ba in fine art, special focus on art history , 19th-century art. graduated honours in 1978.

guyana

in 1978, simon returned guyana , began working lecturer in art @ burrowes school of art, , @ university of guyana. during time, simon formed close friendship guyanese archaeologist, anthropologist , novelist, denis williams, , in 1985 williams invited simon work research assistant @ walter roth museum of anthropology. simon worked @ walter roth museum until 1992, , during time began training in archaeology , anthropology, under tutelage of williams.

as part of work @ walter roth museum, simon took part in numerous anthropological expeditions various parts of guyana. these expeditions had profound impact on life , artistic development. shortly after joining walter roth museum, simon asked lead expedition wai-wai community in south of guyana. expedition stayed @ wai-wai village of sheparyimo month, conducting anthropological work among community. simon produced number of sketches of wai-wai peoples, architecture , artifacts during visit sheparyimo, , experiences there provided inspiration collection of paintings entitled wai-wai series. many of expeditions in simon took part involved journeys on essequibo river; , fascination river resulted in essequibo series.

speaking of experience in sheparyimo years later in interview art critic , historian, anne walmsley, simon reflected: first experience of being in amazon , of being indigenous peoples of amazonas, whom draw parallels own life . spoke more of way in of expeditions in took part transformed perspective , particularly relationship amerindian culture in guyana. explained prior period had traveled little in guyana, , had felt partially cut off [his] people , kind of life due time had spent in england. work @ walter roth museum, therefore, enabled him reunited [his] people , explore amerindianness .

lokono artists group

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.

further study in england

in 1992, simon returned england study ma in field , analytical techniques in archaeology @ university college london. simon completed ma in 1994, when returned guyana.

travels in chad, france, canada , haiti

in december 1998, simon left guyana , embarked on series of journeys last until 2002. on leaving guyana, simon first moved chad worked united states embassy public affairs department s language centre. during time worked group of chadian artists found art studio , gallery in n’djamena called house of african art. organised exhibition of art work, @ gallery, in 1999. simon worked manager local musical group, h sao, won bronze medal @ jeux de la francophonie in quebec in july 2001.

in 2001, simon moved france take position of artist-in-residence @ galerie epices et arts (arts , spices gallery) in lyon. gallery staged exhibition of work in december of year.

in 2002 simon moved montreal in canada. while in canada organised performance of amerindian dancers , musicians part of guyana festival put on guyana consulate in toronto in may 2002.

in july 2002, simon traveled haiti, set small school called escola nueva, teaching english, art , music. although did not stay in haiti long, time there artistically productive because, in words: haiti full of vibrations; full of replicas of amerindian heritage museums dedicated artefacts. buzzing art displayed on streets . simon left haiti travel guyana in mid-august 2002.

return guyana

on return guyana, simon took position lecturer in art, archaeology , anthropology, , coordinator of amerindian research unit, @ university of guyana. began work on construction of arts centre in hometown of st. cuthbert s mission, opened in september 2002. arts centre designed allow local artists exhibit work. in same month, simon took part in exhibition of amerindian art @ castellani house (the home of guyana s national art gallery) entitled moving circle.

the berbice archaeology project

simon @ work on berbice archaeology project, 2009.

in 2009, simon began working on major archaeological project in berbice region of guyana neil l. whitehead @ university of wisconsin-madison , michael heckenberger @ university of florida. aimed @ investigating remains of ancient settlements , agricultural networks in berbice region, project had origins in initial sighting of numerous small mounds retired major-general joe singh, during 1 of flights guyana defence force battle school @ takama. singh s initial observations pursued simon, discovered terra preta soils (evidence of human inhabitance) in area in 1987. in 1992, whitehead , simon revisited sites , undertook preliminary field investigations of cultural , geological remains in area. these investigations uncovered vast complex of agricultural mounds in area , large terra preta site named hitia. initial radiocarbon tests of samples taken site places construction of agricultural mounds @ approximately 1800bp.

the anthony n. sagba award: (left right) simon receiving award on 5 may 2012; celebrations in honour of simon , award held @ hometown of st. cuthbert s mission on 11 may 2012.

in 2009, simon, whitehead, heckenberger , david steadman (curator @ florida museum of natural history) undertook pilot archaeological study of 4 occupation sites along berbice river. testing of ceramic , organic materials sites gave radiocarbon date of ca. 5000bp (3,000 years bce). these dates placed materials among oldest recovered in greater amazonia region. such, whitehead explained berbice archaeology project (ongoing) promised substantially change current understanding of long-term human occupation in tropics, , particularly important role arawakan peoples may have played in process . michael mansoor, chairman of ansa awards eminent persons panel, said project might cause history books pre-columbian past of americas radically rewritten .

recognition

simon awarded guyana s golden arrow of achievement in 1998. in may 2012, awarded anthony n. sabga caribbean award excellence work artist , archaeologist.