Superville captures Trinidad and Tobago's dance diversity

MARTIN Superville’s upcoming art exhibition, And Everyone Must Dance & The Beach, celebrates TT’s vibrant dance heritage.

It is being held at Horizon’s Art Gallery, 37, Mucurapo Road, Port of Spain, from November 14-24. The exhibition runs from 5-9pm.

An excited Superville, founder of the Lowlands-based Art Gallery, told Sunday Newsday, “I have been painting dancers for a very long time."

The exhibition, he said, "is not a culmination of them all but I’ve enjoyed the field for a long time.

“I’ve painted many dancers of all different types. This is like a reflection of the vast amount of dance we have in our culture and I am kind of culminating them all – our Lebanese people, the Arabs, the Africans, Indians.”

He said the exhibition also focuses heavily on Tobago’s dance culture.

Superville, who has been painting for most his life, lamented that elements of a country’s cultural heritage are often undocumented.

But he said late Trinidadian painter Michel Jean Cazabon, who is widely regarded as the first great local artist, did a phenomenal job in recording aspects of Trinidad’s heritage.

Superville said he had also been inspired by French impressionist artist Edgar Degas, whose work is especially identified with dance and movement.

On the “beach” aspect of the exhibition, Superville said, “There are beaches everywhere. Tobago is just an artist’s paradise.”

He believes part of his job as a painter is to make people’s lives happy.

“My work is coming from a very happy place – a content, peaceful place and I just love it. And I don’t want anybody to push my buttons.”

Superville said plans for another exhibition are already in the works.

And Everyone Must Dance & The Beach comes on the heels of his gallery’s last exhibition, Serendipity, in July- August.

The theme was derived from a customer who visited the gallery and used the word to describe the impressiveness of the pieces.

That exhibition showcased the work of seasoned and emerging artists in both Trinidad and Tobago.

It highlighted pieces depicting some of Tobago’s tourist spots and attractions, such as Pigeon Point beach.

Artists whose pieces were on display included Jade Hillaire, Chris Thomas Amber Shaw, Simone Jacelon, Samantha Joseph, Renee Roberts, Duneiski, Jason Nedd, Kerron John, Kay O’Callaghan and Michael Phillips.