Old masters’ dominate at Guyana Visual...
From page 10A
example of this is “Mazaruni Black Ants and Diamonds” reminiscent of his “Hearts and Diamonds” series. But like George Simon has done repeatedly, Greaves moves into new studies which bear his distinctive idiom but betray new concerns. This is the case with “Rupununi Agates” which plays on imagery taken from the agate with its layers and patches. There is symbolic reference to the Rupununi as well as motifs drawn from the Amerindian petroglyphs – an imposing painting noted for its variations of shapes. Here is a work reaffirming the metaphysical quality of this painter.
Greaves has returned with a reminder of his exalted impact on national art, and so has Hussein. Hussein’s work in this exhibition represents forms that have developed in Guyanese sculpture over what is by now a long period, but with new pieces that dominated the 2017 competition in sculpture. “Silence” stands out as another masterpiece with the distinctive ethnic characteristics of contemporary Amerindian art in Guyana. It is the Hussein of old, recalling the impact he made some 27 years ago with the work that heralded the meteoric rise of Lokono sculpture. “Silence” is authoritative in the spiritual quality which is a striking feature of Hussein’s work. It bears the marks of the rainforest with its strong elements of animism, its shape-shifting potential and the very intricately carved motifs around the body of the work.
There is also the recent emergence of patriotic art. This is prevalent among the sculptures – Francis Ferreira, Shimuel Jones and Marvin Phillips – and in a few paintings and drawings. But this patriotic art reaches its most significant explosion in works such as Fraser’s “Burgeoning Steps,” Khan’s three-piece “Rumination” suite and Strick’s pieces, which made a significant success of the newly-fashioned category of fine craft. It took these “old masters” to achieve what Hosein explained: “Textiles was expanded into a new category” which “broadened the scope of the competition to allow . . . other persons whose work would normally be deemed ‘craftwork’ to enter.”
Khan, who had not been heard from for quite a while, revealed so far his magnum opus – surprise masterpieces that he worked on during his sabbatical year from the University of Guyana. They suggest extremely painstaking thorough work in mixed media, very labour intensive but carefully crafted colourful tapestries telling tales of national pride. Fine craft has thus widened the scope