Top artists to show life in art

Five of TT’s leading artists will come together in October to stage a groundbreaking joint exhibition in San Fernando. The show, Life in Art, will feature acclaimed artists Karen Sylvester, Lisa O’Connor, Martin Superville, Sundiata and Jackie Hinkson.

Visual artist Sundiata has been engaging with light in his art for decades. Except for some monochromatic renderings in ink or charcoal, which he may execute at night, he chooses to paint only during the daytime so that natural light becomes a crucial input in his work.

“Recently I am allowing the medium, whether oil, watercolour or wood to dictate the expression that will eventually emerge in finished pieces of work,” Sundiata said in a media release.

Like Hinkson, self-taught artist Martin Superville is a well-established figure on the art front. His contribution to the show will include works in oil, ranging from portraits to scenes from TT’s rich culture.

Sylvester’s focuses on the natural environment — the lack of the human form in her acrylic landscapes is a deliberate omission. The viewer will be encouraged to step back and acknowledge the beauty of our land.

Completing the show will be the spectacular work of O’Connor, painting in the “beaux arts” tradition, with subject matter drawn from the world about her.

Hinkson over the last 40 years has expanded his repertoire of subjects and his range of media. In addition to the numerous sketch pads (more than 100) that he has filled with sketches and visual notes on people, places and events, he has also produced a series of 14 large oils in which he has depicted events from the life of Christ in a contemporary Trinidadian context. These works exhibited in 2002 and 2003 and have been widely admired, this series is a part of his wider repertoire of media use that includes large and small work in a range of media including sculpture and iPad. In addition to sharing their pieces, each artist will introduce and display a new work from an up and coming artist of their choice.

Life in Art opens at the Gallery of Fine Art, 23 Rushworth Street, San Fernando from October 8 to 16.