Artists see brighter side of lockdown

Jemima Charles and Karina Maharaj, two very different artists, will display their talents in a joint exhibition in which both artists reflect their personal response to the lockdown.

Each artist chose to seek the brighter side, finding inspiration close to home. The result is a fun, quirky show to please and uplift the viewer said a media release. The exhibition will be both online and in person at Horizon Art Gallery.

Charles, an Afro-Caribbean artist, born in Trinidad and Tobago in 1982, calls her work culturally integrated neo-Caribbean art. With a MFA in Printmaking from Savannah College of Art and Design, she has participated in many solo and joint exhibitions, both locally and internationally, including two at Horizons. Her work deals with identity, culture, headship, and storytelling and is predominantly expressed in the medium of printmaking and sculptural installations.

This body of work is a reflection of the past year. Pandemic travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders influenced the theme, as it takes inspiration from the cultural identity of TT, the release said. Tropically-themed light fixtures are adorned with hand-printed Japanese paper for a unique décor item. Motifs and forms are inspired by local iconic images, such as the pan, birds, and coconut/palm trees. Embedded throughout the works are the signature heads, crowns or masks.

On the other hand, Maharaj was born in Trinidad and grew up in New York. She enjoys working in oils, each new painting changing and evolving her style. With a lean towards realism, she increasingly finds herself painting a feeling rather than the image itself.

Reflecting on the inspiration for her work, Maraj said in the release, “I have the thought in my mind 'lockdown things' as I work."

The pieces tend to have an outsider perspective, specifically of looking outwards onto a scene or image. She says, “During this lockdown, we have all spent a lot of time inside. Dreaming of the outdoors, beach scenes seen from our window, the beauty in nature. Similarly, some pieces show a feeling of loneliness or isolation that’s reflective of the lockdown. Yet, in the lockdown we can still find beauty in the moments of stillness as we are alone and can reflect.”

Charles and Maharaj’s joint exhibition will be launched virtually. The virtual opening can be viewed online via Facebook on October 5 at 6.30 pm. This will be a live interactive event and viewers are encouraged to participate via message with questions and comments, the release said. The artists will be on hand to discuss their works and respond to viewers.

To show can be accessed on the opening night at: https://www.facebook.com/Horizonsarttrinidad/

The exhibition can also be viewed at the gallery, 37 Mucurapo Road, St James, until October 16, from 8.30 am-5 pm, Mondays to Fridays, and 9 am-1 pm on Saturdays.