Art George Simon (artist and archaeologist)

1 art

1.1 style , technique
1.2 themes
1.3 notable works

1.3.1 universal woman (2008)
1.3.2 palace of peacock: homage wilson harris (2009)
1.3.3 golden jaguar spirit (2010)


1.4 appraisal

art
style , technique

simon , bimichi paintings (2009): (left right) simon painting bimichi i; simon working on bimichi ii.

simon paints acrylics on canvas, twill fabric, or paper. builds contrasts , depth paintings applying thin layers of acrylic, 1 on top of other, gently , tediously . in late 1990s started experiment use of gesso in order create texture , three-dimensional patterns of relief in paintings.

conceptually, simon deploys intuitive approach paintings. begins deciding on dominant colour work, throw[ing] paint haphazardly @ canvas, , responding imagery [that] comes . in 1994/5 simon explained: have great faith in subconscious. let paint remain on canvas , @ , gradually images come out , develop images .

according simon, archaeological work had profound effect on artistic style. research prehistoric art in south america , latin america encouraged him inwards , become more confident in using [his] own private language , in explorations of amerindian culture , mythologies.

themes

simon s work known explorations of amerindian cultural traditions in central , south america. shamanism, in particular, recurrent theme in work. important repeated engagements amerindian timehri - ancient petroglyphs (rock-carvings) found throughout guyana. these guyanese timehri have been object of numerous archaeological studies (most notably denis williams), simon suggests in artwork tries decode them in own particular way , asking himself why written, , trying .

environment major, , related, theme in simon s work. in article on arts , environment in stabroek news, al creighton described simon artist engaged environment in particularly profound way, through representations of arawak co-existence land , water . in interview 2011, simon remarked: work concentrated on drawing attention indigenous people , how have lived environment in mind. hope lead general acceptance man related environment; environment not bland, full of life , has deep meaning .

notable works
universal woman (2008)

george simon (left) , anil roberts (right) @ work on mural palace of peacock: homage wilson harris @ university of guyana (2009).

universal woman 1 of simon s well-known artworks, , displayed @ national cultural centre in georgetown. painting triptych composed of paintings of water-goddesses or water-spirits of 3 main cultures of guyana: african, indian , amerindian. 1 depicts mami-wata of african , african-diasporic traditions; gaṅgā (or ganga mai), female deity of river ganges in hindu; , oriyu - female water-spirit features in number of amerindian mythic traditions.

writing stabroek news, al creighton described painting major work in guyanese art , adding: triptych majestic , powerful female deities studies . philbert gadajar praised simon having achieved great synthesis , powerful portrait painting. gadajar characterized painting map of psyche, vaporous interior realm thought , emotion fall weightlessly , vertiginously, tumbling out of unknown past knowable future . desrey fox, head of ministry of education in guyana, described universal woman inspiration amerindian perspective : [t]hinking spiritually , said, traditions of our amerindian people, lot of has put on canvas can teach our spirituality .

palace of peacock: homage wilson harris (2009)

palace of peacock: homage wilson harris mural situated on 1 of walls of turkeyen campus of university of guyana. jointly painted simon (main artist), philbert gajadhar, , anil roberts. painting tribute guyanese novelist wilson harris , first novel, palace of peacock (1960). mural unveiled on 25 june 2009.

the mural both representation of amazon rainforest , painting explores characteristic themes in harris s work: environment, spirituality, , guyanese mythologies. painting incorporates mixture of symbols , guyanese landmarks appear in harris s novel, including peacock of novel s title, , kaieteur falls.

golden jaguar spirit (2010)

golden jaguar spirit acrylic painting on canvas presents jaguar through perspective focuses on rich significance of animal in amerindian culture , myth. markings on jaguar can interpreted in various ways: eyes, timehri markings, , leaves of forest. critic al creighton suggests painting portrays jaguar shamanistic animal , foregrounds association of jaguar shamanic , kanaimá practices in amerindian culture. notes suggestions of shape-shifting - merging of animal, forest, spirit , man - in work.

appraisal

simon recognized major guyanese artist. in essay 1996 sir wilson harris described simon gifted painter cherished , suggested work part of artistic renascence . celebrate george simon s arrival , harris wrote. possesses sure touch, find, in veined tapestry, evolving tapestry, of worlds , ancestors have known . in introductory book on art in caribbean (2010), stanley greaves , art critic , historian anne walmsley, present simon gifted , accomplished painter , notable caribbean artist. in 2002, guyanese lecturer , art critic, alim hosein, applauded simon s work searching, individualistic exploration of amerindian heritage . al creighton has described him 1 of guyana s distinguished artists , notable, in particular, preoccupation cosmos of lokono , profound engagement environmental themes. in article rise of amerindian art in guyana, wrote: [simon] eloquently demonstrates of exciting developments in guyanese amerindian art. more that, leader in charting directions .