‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / ‘The Carriers of the Image’ – 3 – Winston van der Bok
De Dragers van het Beeld, in English: The Carriers of the Image, is an art exhibition that was held in the foyer of Theatre Thalia, from April 28 until May 7, 2017. It was part of the celebration of 180 years Theatre Thalia. Eight visual artists worked with the theme of death, and more: resurrection from death, new life …
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi wrote a series of columns that we will be sharing on the SAX-blog. Today part 3, a text that accompanied the art work of Winston van der Bok. Please find the Dutch text under the English translation.
On the right: Winston van der Bok, ‘Transformation – Siwalapa (war club) motifs’, acrylic on wood, 2017 – USD 300 a piece / PHOTO Ada Korbee
Nicole Smythe-Johnson, curator from Jamaica and EdKe, Surinamese visual artist, discussing the exhibition On the right: Winston van der Bok, ‘Transformation – Siwalapa (war club) motifs’, acrylic on wood, 2017 – USD 300 a piece / PHOTO Ada Korbee
Winston van der Bok and the theme ‘transformation’
Transformation is a concept that characterizes the life of Winston van der Bok.
If you ask Winston why he chose the theme ‘transformation’, he says: ‘Thalia is 180 years old and it’s no longer as it was 180 years ago. It has been through several transformations and will go through yet another transformation again.’
‘Transformation is what I focus on in the arts. I am indigenous and want breathe new life into old traditions. The indigenous tribes all over the world have been pushed aside. I want to raise awareness for the valuable old cultures of the Indigenous. It is my calling to transform that which has always lived, and still lives, within my deepest being into a contemporary art form.’
When Winston talks about his life, it becomes clear that his whole life is made up of transformations. True to his native character, Winston does not adhere to a numeric year count and essentially lives a timeless existence. He looks at his life as a labyrinth of roads that he has traveled. There is no real beginning, and every end is a new beginning.
Winston was born in 1947 in a very small village on the Cottica River, as third child in a family of seven children. Straight from his mother’s hammock, the young baby was given to two strangers who wanted the little baby very badly. His parents were convinced that the foreigners would be able to provide their child with a better future.
Winston grew up in the USA, where two strict, but fantastic foster mothers raised him, until he was about fifteen years old. Around his fifteenth birthday he was suddenly sent back to Suriname. He would ride on the Cottica River in a canoe with his father, surrounded by a muttering of languages he did not understand. Upon arriving back in his village, his mother knelt at his feet. She inspected his left ankle, saw the birthmark, and knew that her son had returned.
Winston moved to Paramaribo and married a beautiful city creole woman. Together they had two sons. His wife passed away at a young age. His sons were nine and six years old. For many years there was no woman in Winston’s life and he raised his sons all by himself.
Winston studied at the Surinaamse Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten (SABK) [Surinamese Academy for Visual Arts] and worked, for many years, in visual communications, graphic design and product marketing for businesses. He also became a graphic design teacher at the AHKCO.
He became ill. It was an acute pancreatitis that was not diagnosed as such initially. He came face to face with death. It was beautiful. A pleasant journey without barriers, straight through everything.
A successful operation brought him back into the world of the living. His son fed him like a baby and his girlfriend came from the Netherlands to take care of him. From that point on a new life had begun. A new transformation had taken place.
Characters, patterns and symbols similar to those you might see on petroglyphs, the traditional weaving and pottery of the Indigenous, are important elements in the art of Winston. Remarkable is the appearance of movements without a beginning and without an end in his work.
TEXT Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, 2017
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi is a female visual artist from Suriname. She works and lives in Paramaribo, Suriname, South America. Kit-Ling studied visual art in Suriname and in the Netherlands. In 2005 Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi added the short video-film as a medium to her artwork. Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi makes paintings and drawings, inspired by the tropical rainforest, and the richness of the diverse cultures in Suriname.
Kit-Ling was the featured visual artist at the 13th International Conference of the Association of Caribbean Women Writers and Scholars. This conference, The Caribbean, the Land and the People; Women’s Efforts, Women’s Lives, was held in Suriname, in May 2012. Kit-Ling was the recipient of the Bridget Jones Award for 2013.
TRANSLATION Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld, 2017
PHOTOGRAPHY Ada Korbee & Marieke Visser, 2017
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‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / ‘The Carriers of the Image’ – 1 – Introduction
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 2 – Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 3 – Winston van der Bok
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 4 – Razia Barsatie
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 5 – Soeki Irodikromo
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 6 – Dhiradj Ramsamoedj
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 7 – Sri Irodikromo
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 8 – Anand Binda
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 9 – George Struikelblok
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Winston van der Bok en het thema ‘transformatie’
Transformatie is een begrip dat het leven van Winston van der Bok kenmerkt.
Als je Winston vraagt waarom hij heeft gekozen voor het thema ‘transformatie’, zegt hij: ‘Thalia is 180 jaar en is niet meer zoals het 180 jaar geleden was. Het heeft meerdere transformaties meegemaakt en zal ook weer een transformatie ondergaan.’
‘Transformatie is waarmee ik in de kunst bezig ben. Ik ben Inheems en ik wil oude tradities nieuw leven inblazen. Inheemsen zijn overal in de wereld weggedrukt. Ik wil de oude waardevolle cultuur van de Inheemsen onder de aandacht brengen. Het is mijn roeping om wat altijd in mijn diepste wezen heeft geleefd en nog steeds leeft, te transformeren naar een hedendaagse kunstvorm.’
Als Winston over zijn leven vertelt, blijkt zijn gehele leven uit transformaties te bestaan. Eigen aan zijn Inheemse karakter, kent Winston geen jaartallen en leeft in principe een tijdloos bestaan. Zelf ziet hij zijn leven als een labyrint van wegen die hij heeft bewandeld. Er bestaat niet echt een begin en elk einde is een nieuw begin.
Winston werd geboren in 1947 in een heel klein dorp aan de Cotticarivier, als derde kind uit een gezin van zeven kinderen. Als baby werd hij zo vanuit zijn moeders hangmat meegegeven aan twee vreemdelingen, die de kleine baby heel graag wilden. Zijn ouders waren van mening dat de buitenlanders hun kindje een betere toekomst konden geven.
Tot ongeveer zijn vijftiende jaar, groeide Winston op in de USA, streng opgevoed door twee fantastische pleegmoeders. Rond zijn vijftiende werd hij plotseling teruggestuurd naar Suriname. Hij voer met zijn vader in een korjaal op de Cotticarivier en werd omringd door een geroezemoes van talen die hij niet verstond. In zijn geboortedorp aangekomen, knielde zijn moeder aan zijn voeten. Ze inspecteerde zijn linkerenkel, zag de moedervlek en constateerde dat haar zoon was teruggekeerd.
Winston verhuisde naar Paramaribo en trouwde met een prachtige stadscreoolse. Ze kregen twee zoons. Op jonge leeftijd kwam zijn vrouw te overlijden. Zijn zoons waren negen en zes jaar oud. Jarenlang was er geen vrouw in Winston zijn leven en hij voedde zijn zoons helemaal alleen op.
Winston studeerde aan de Surinaamse Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten (SABK) en was jarenlang werkzaam op het gebied van de visuele communicatie, vormgeving en productmarketing voor bedrijven. Hij werd daarnaast ook docent grafische vormgeving op het AHKCO.
Hij werd ziek. Het was een acute alvleesklierontsteking die in de eerste instantie niet als zodanig werd onderkend. Hij heeft de dood gezien. Het was mooi. Een prettige reis zonder barrières dwars door alles heen.
Een goed geslaagde operatie bracht hem terug naar de wereld van de levenden. Zijn zoon voedde hem als een baby en zijn vriendin kwam uit Nederland om voor hem te zorgen. Daarmee is een nieuw leven begonnen. Er heeft een nieuwe transformatie plaatsgevonden.
Tekens, patronen en symbolen zoals je die kunt zien in de rotstekeningen, het vlecht- en aardewerk van de Inheemsen zijn belangrijke elementen in het werk van Winston. Opmerkelijk is de verschijning van bewegingen zonder begin en zonder einde in zijn werk.
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / ‘The Carriers of the Image’ – 2 – Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi
De Dragers van het Beeld, in English: The Carriers of the Image, is an art exhibition that was held in the foyer of Theatre Thalia, from April 28 until May 7, 2017. It was part of the celebration of 180 years Theatre Thalia. Eight visual artists worked with the theme of death, and more: resurrection from death, new life …
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi wrote a series of columns that we will be sharing on the SAX-blog. Today part 2, a text that accompanied her art work. Please find the Dutch text under the English translation.
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, ‘Alakondre Phoenix’, 2017 / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2017
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi and the Alakondre Phoenix
Within the framework of 180 years Theatre Thalia, I, Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, chose the phoenix as my subject.
The phoenix
This mythical creature fascinates me for several reasons.
In the first place, because it’s a bird and I have always seen the bird as a free spirit. The soaring bird takes me back to the time when I was a teenager dancing ballet, and I experienced that as the ultimate freedom to express emotions. Secondly, because of the fictional stories that balance somewhere on the edge between reality and fantasy, something I often like to do within the visual arts as well.
Thirdly, because the phoenix is a universal symbol of resurrection and immortality, but also of death and rebirth. As such the phoenix fits seamlessly within the theme we chose for the celebration of 180 years Thalia.
The fourth reason is that it’s a legendary bird that dies through self-sacrifice. Self-sacrifice intrigues me because in this world of people who give and take, those who only take, emanate such dominance. Is this group truly that large, or does it only seem so?
And fifth, because such mythical creatures seem to exist in different cultures. The phoenix is often compared to the Chinese Fenghuang and to the Garuda known in India as well as in Indonesia. The phoenix is even compared to the Mexican Quetzalcoatl.
The phoenix is described as a magnificent divine bird with feathers in striking colors and that can sing beautifully. His age ranges from 300 to 100.000 years. At the end of his life he sets himself on fire on a bed of fragrant herbs and from his ashes another phoenix arises.
Sometimes the phoenix is described as a heron, sometimes he has the characteristics of a peacock, and at other times he looks like an eagle.
The Alakondre Phoenix
Born and raised in Suriname, I have, when it comes to the visual arts, been on a quest through cultural diversity and hybridism. Ultimately this has led me to Alakondre. Why is Alakondre more than cultural diversity to me? Cultural diversity essentially involves different people. Alakondre is also within the individual persons.
I have currently defined Alakondre as follows: the adaptation of all cultures, from all countries, by the individual human being and by the various communities that inhabit the world. In order to be able to take Alakondre onto yourself, you have to open yourself up to those other cultures. You have to be curious and must want to learn more about the other cultures. When you embrace the other culture, it becomes a part of you. Because it becomes a part of yourself, you cannot hate it. With Alakondre there will be no more racial discrimination, and even less racial hatred.
My phoenix is an Alakondre Phoenix. It can be an egret, a sabaku. It can be an eagle, a gonini, but it can just as well be a simple small bird, a grietjebie (Great Kiskadee) or a pikan (Squirrel Cuckoo).
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, ‘Alakondre Phoenix’, 2017 / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2017
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, ‘Alakondre Phoenix’, 2017 / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2017
TEXT Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, 2017
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi is a female visual artist from Suriname. She works and lives in Paramaribo, Suriname, South America. Kit-Ling studied visual art in Suriname and in the Netherlands. In 2005 Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi added the short video-film as a medium to her artwork. Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi makes paintings and drawings, inspired by the tropical rainforest, and the richness of the diverse cultures in Suriname.
Kit-Ling was the featured visual artist at the 13th International Conference of the Association of Caribbean Women Writers and Scholars. This conference, The Caribbean, the Land and the People; Women’s Efforts, Women’s Lives, was held in Suriname, in May 2012. Kit-Ling was the recipient of the Bridget Jones Award for 2013.
TRANSLATION Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld, 2017
PHOTOGRAPHY Ada Korbee & Marieke Visser, 2017
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‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / ‘The Carriers of the Image’ – 1 – Introduction
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 2 – Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 3 – Winston van der Bok
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 4 – Razia Barsatie
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 5 – Soeki Irodikromo
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 6 – Dhiradj Ramsamoedj
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 7 – Sri Irodikromo
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 8 – Anand Binda
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 9 – George Struikelblok
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Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi en de Alakondre Phoenix
In verband met 180 jaar Thalia koos ik, Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, voor het onderwerp ‘Phoenix’ of ‘Feniks’.
De Feniks of Phoenix
Het fabeldier boeit me om verschillende redenen.
Ten eerste omdat het een vogel is en ik heb de vogel altijd als een ‘free spirit’ (vrije geest) gezien. De zwevende vogel brengt me terug naar de tijd toen ik als tiener ballet danste en dat ervoer als summum van vrijheid in het uiten van emoties.
Ten tweede vanwege de gefantaseerde verhalen die balanceren op de rand van werkelijkheid en fantasie, zoals ik ook vaak zelf binnen de beeldende kunst wens te balanceren.
Ten derde omdat de feniks is een universeel symbool van wederopstanding en onsterfelijkheid is maar ook van dood en wedergeboorte. Hierbij sluit de feniks naadloos aan bij het thema dat we voor 180 jaar Thalia uitkozen.
Ten vierde omdat het een legendarische vogel is, die sterft door zelfopoffering. Zelfopoffering intrigeert me, omdat in deze wereld van mensen die geven en nemen, de mensen die alleen maar nemen, zo een dominantie uitstralen. Is die groep werkelijk zo groot of lijkt het maar zo?
Ten vijfde blijkt een soortgelijk fabeldier in verschillende culturen voor te komen. De feniks wordt vaak vergeleken met de Chinese Fenghuang en met de Garuda, die je zowel in India als in Indonesië tegenkomt. De feniks wordt zelfs vergeleken met de Mexicaanse Quetzalcoatl.
De feniks wordt beschreven als een prachtige goddelijke vogel met een vederdracht in schitterende kleuren en die prachtig kan zingen. Zijn leeftijd varieert van 300 tot 100.000 jaar. Aan het einde van zijn leven steekt hij zichzelf in brand op een bed van geurige kruiden en uit zijn as ontstaat een nieuwe feniks.
De ene keer wordt de feniks beschreven als reiger, soms heeft hij karakteristieken van een pauw. Een andere keer lijkt hij op een arend.
De Alakondre Phoenix
Geboren en opgegroeid in Suriname heb ik op het gebied van de beeldende kunst, een speurtocht door culturele diversiteit en hybriditeit gemaakt. Ik ben nu uiteindelijk terechtgekomen bij Alakondre. Waarom is voor mij, Alakondre meer dan culturele diversiteit? Bij culturele diversiteit zijn er in principe meerdere mensen betrokken. Alakondre zit ook in de individuele personen.
Alakondre heb ik nu als volgt gedefinieerd: de adaptatie van alle culturen van alle landen door de individuele mens en door de verschillende leefgemeenschappen die de wereld bevolken. Om in staat te zijn Alakondre tot je te nemen, moet je jezelf openstellen voor die andere culturen. Je moet nieuwsgierig zijn om te weten hoe die andere cultuur in elkaar zit. Als je die andere cultuur in jezelf opneemt, wordt het een onderdeel van jezelf. Omdat het een onderdeel van jezelf is, kan je het niet haten. Met Alakondre zal er dan geen rassendiscriminatie zijn, nog minder rassenhaat.
Mijn Phoenix of Feniks is een Alakondre Phoenix. Het kan een reiger zijn, een sabaku. Het kan een arend zijn, een gonini, maar het kan ook een eenvoudig klein vogeltje zijn, een grietjebie of een pikan.
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / ‘The Carriers of the Image’ – 1 – Introduction
De Dragers van het Beeld, in English: The Carriers of the Image, is an art exhibition that was held in the foyer of Theatre Thalia, from April 28 until May 7, 2017. It was part of the celebration of 180 years Theatre Thalia. Eight visual artists worked with the theme of death, and more: resurrection from death, new life …
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi wrote a series of columns that we will be sharing on the SAX-blog. Today part 1. Please find the Dutch text under the English text.
A Sparkling New Life
‘Alakondre [literally meaning: of all countries] is the word that we should use to brand Suriname’, said Alida Neslo. With that statement she found an immediate ally within me. This alliance would be continued, as I became the coordinator for visual arts of a team dedicated to celebrate the 180th anniversary of Theatre Thalia in a fitting way. The celebration of 180 years Thalia should breathe new and sparkling life into the theatre.
The Theme
In many cultures death is seen as the end of one life and the beginning of another new life. As a team dedicated to the celebration of 180 years Thalia, we initially spoke more about death and the way in which different cultures process death. But almost simultaneously, the discussion started to revolve around what happens after death: reincarnation, the afterlife, rebirth, etc. The most dominant question that came up was: How is this interpreted by different people and by different cultures? The theme for the celebration of Thalia 180 years, started to develop from here. Eros, Thanatos and Phoenix were brought forward as points of departure for the theme of the celebration. Eros as life energy, Thanatos as the non-violent peaceful death and the Phoenix as the symbol of eternal life; a cyclical life of passing and rebirth.
Visual Art
The theme was presented to the eight participating visual artists: Razia Barsatie, Anand Binda, Winston van der Bok, Soeki Irodikromo, Sri Irodikromo, Dhiradj Ramsamoedj, George Struikelblok and Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi. Each artist was inspired by an entirely different aspect of the theme.
The diverse interpretations of the theme are elaborated upon in various short columns, which will help the public to better understand what the works of art displayed in the celebratory exhibition of Theatre Thalia 180 years are actually about. This visual art exhibition was on display from April 28 until May 7, 2017. In addition to the visual art exhibition there also was a Living Art Show, which was presented within the dance program in the weekend of May 5-7, 2017. It was a collaboration between visual artists and performance artists. The artistic concepts, created by the visual artists, were interpreted and performed by the performance artists. The coordination of the Living Art Show was in the hands of Dweight Warsodikromo.
TEXT Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, 2017
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi is a female visual artist from Suriname. She works and lives in Paramaribo, Suriname, South America. Kit-Ling studied visual art in Suriname and in the Netherlands. In 2005 Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi added the short video-film as a medium to her artwork. Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi makes paintings and drawings, inspired by the tropical rainforest, and the richness of the diverse cultures in Suriname.
Kit-Ling was the featured visual artist at the 13th International Conference of the Association of Caribbean Women Writers and Scholars. This conference, The Caribbean, the Land and the People; Women’s Efforts, Women’s Lives, was held in Suriname, in May 2012. Kit-Ling was the recipient of the Bridget Jones Award for 2013.
TRANSLATION Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld, 2017
PHOTOGRAPHY Ada Korbee & Marieke Visser, 2017
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‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / ‘The Carriers of the Image’ – 1 – Introduction
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 2 – Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 3 – Winston van der Bok
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 4 – Razia Barsatie
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 5 – Soeki Irodikromo
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 6 – Dhiradj Ramsamoedj
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 7 – Sri Irodikromo
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 8 – Anand Binda
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 9 – George Struikelblok
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Een sprankelend nieuw leven
‘Alakondre is het woord waarmee we Suriname moeten branden’, zei Alida Neslo en daarmee had ze in mij een bondgenoot gevonden. Dit bondgenootschap zette zich voort door als coördinator van beeldende kunst plaats te nemen in een team dat zich zou inzetten om 180 jaar Theater Thalia op gepaste wijze te vieren. De viering van 180 jaar Thalia moet Thalia weer nieuw en sprankelend leven inblazen.
Het thema
In veel culturen wordt de dood gezien als het einde van een bepaald leven en het begin van een ander nieuw leven. Als team dat zich wilde inzetten voor de viering van 180 jaar Thalia, spraken we eerst meer over de dood en het verwerken van de dood binnen verschillende culturen. Maar bijna simultaan werd er ook gesproken over wat er na de dood gebeurt: de reïncarnatie, het hiernamaals, de wedergeboorte etc. Daarbij werd vooral de vraag gesteld: Hoe wordt dit gezien door verschillende mensen, verschillende culturen? Van daaruit is het thema rond de viering van Thalia 180 jaar zich verder gaan ontwikkelen. Eros, Thanatos en Phoenix (Feniks) werden als uitgangspunten voor het thema binnen de viering van 180 jaar Thalia naar voren geschoven. Eros als levensenergie, Thanatos als de geweldloze zachte dood en de Phoenix als symbool van een eeuwig leven; een cyclisch leven van heengaan en wedergeboorte.
Beeldende kunst
Het thema werd voorgelegd aan de acht (8) deelnemende beeldende kunstenaars, te weten Razia Barsatie, Anand Binda, Winston van der Bok, Soeki Irodikromo, Sri Irodikromo, Dhiradj Ramsamoedj, George Struikelblok en Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi. Elke kunstenaar werd geïnspireerd door een geheel andere aspect van het thema.
De diverse interpretaties van het thema zijn in verschillende korte columns uiteen gezet en op deze manier kwam het kunstminnend publiek meer te weten over de inhoud van de kunstwerken die in de feestexpositie van Theater Thalia 180 jaar te zien waren. Deze beeldende kunstexpositie was te zien vanaf 28 april tot en met 7 mei 2017. Naast de beeldende kunstexpositie is er ook een Living Art Show gepresenteerd binnen het dansprogramma in het weekend van 5 tot en met 7 mei 2017. Het betrof een samenwerking tussen beeldende kunstenaars en performance artiesten. De kunstconcepten kwamen van de beeldende kunstenaars, maar werden geïnterpreteerd en uitgevoerd door de performance kunstenaars. De coördinatie van de Living Art Show was in handen van Dweight Warsodikromo.
Thursday-Night-Feature: Presentation Kenneth Flijders
What: Thursday-Night-Feature, Presentation Kenneth Flijders (Facebook Event)
When: Thursday June 01, 2017, 19:00-21:00 hrs, presentation starts at 19:30 hrs
Where: Readytex Art Gallery (RAG) (also on Facebook), Steenbakkerijstraat 30, Paramaribo, Suriname
Kenneth Flijders: His fondness for the Mahogany tree and the surprising artistic possibilities it offers him
Readytex Art Gallery and visual artist Kenneth Flijders are getting ready for the upcoming Thursday-Night-Feature (TNF) of June 1st. On this evening this seasoned yet humble artist will surprise the public with a special presentation. For a very long time now, and for several reasons, Kenneth Flijders has been fascinated with the Mahogany tree. The important role that this tree plays in his life has a lot to do with his great love for plants and his genuine interest in everything of special historical value to Suriname, but it is especially important because of his career as an artist.
Kenneth Flijders is an artist who, throughout his career, is known to sculpt, to paint, make various types of prints, but who above all likes to experiment with different materials and surfaces. In his work he has used palm fibers, the natural handmade paper from his students at ‘Stichting Matoekoe’, he has painted on old discarded doors and windows that would normally have ended up as garbage, and at one point he discovers that he can paint beautifully with an extract obtained from left over pieces of Mahogany wood. In his workplace, wood from old fallen over or removed Mahogany trees is transformed into unique sculptures such as his famous and quite realistic watermelon and pumpkin pieces, but also into a new experimental pigment, which he successfully paints with on canvas and paper.
On this upcoming TNF Kenneth Flijders will talk about, and demonstrate, how he uses Mahogany tree remnants to make the rich reddish-brown extract that he uses to paint with. He will also talk about his particular affinity for the Mahogany tree and he will exhibit several of the works of art in which he has used the extract. In his own garden Kenneth Flijders plants and grows several of these trees and he will also incorporate a number of small Mahogany trees in his presentation. Everybody is welcome to join us in Readytex Art Gallery for this special presentation of Kenneth Flijders at the TNF of Thursday June 1st. Doors are open from 7:00pm-9:00pm and the presentation starts at 7:30pm.
Kenneth Flijders / PHOTO Courtesy Readytex Art Gallery
‘Kumbat’tey’ by John Lie A Fo
What: Kumbat’tey by John Lie A Fo
When: Friday April 7-Saturday April 15, 2017. Opening hours are Monday thru Friday from 08:00am-04:30pm and on Saturday from 08:30am-01:30pm. Extra opening nights on Friday April 7 and Saturday April 8 from 07:00pm-09:00pm. The gallery is closed on Friday April 14.
Where: Readytex Art Gallery (RAG) (also on Facebook), Steenbakkerijstraat 30, Paramaribo, Suriname
John Lie A Fo, Legacy, mixed media on canvas, 124 x 110 cm, 2017 / PHOTO Courtesy Readytex Art Gallery, 2017
Readytex Art Gallery (RAG) is about to present her first large solo exhibition of this year. In the spotlight this time around, is an interesting Surinamese artist who hasn’t had a solo exhibition in Suriname for a long time, 35 years to be exact. A bit surprising, because although he hasn’t lived here for quite some time, the artist as well as his work are undoubtedly proud representatives of Surinamese culture and Surinamese identity. High time therefore, for a special presentation of the engaging work of artist John Lie A Fo here in the country where he was born and where his ‘kumbat’tey’ (umbilical cord) was buried.
With the exhibition Kumbat’tey, Readytex Art Gallery has quite a surprise in store for visitors, especially those that are not yet familiar with the work of Lie A Fo. The explosions of color, the bold imagery and the uncurtailed expressiveness in the work of this artist will hold the attention and fuel the imagination of viewers for quite some time. Visual artist Lie A Fo is driven entirely by his feelings and by his passion for the culture, the traditions and the rituals of his country. He does not restrict himself to one culture, but he proudly considers every culture present in Suriname his own, and that is the essence conveyed throughout his work. Rituals and symbols of the Maroons, the Indigenous, the Javanese and the Chinese are all represented in his current collection. And although the cultural elements are undoubtedly recognizable for the true Surinamese, his work does not contain a literal portrayal of those cultures. His imagery, just like his own personality, is characterized by exuberant, free and unrestrained expression. He is in no way constrained by reality, but gives free reign to his creativity and his imagination, which often results in compositions that incorporate elements that are somewhat playful, surprising and even a bit unexpected. And in addition to culture, the collection also deals with other subjects that Lie A Fo is interested in or concerned with. Birds, free in nature, the disabled children that he works with in French Guyana, the painful subject of the child-slaves in Haiti, in short everything that makes an impression on this warm and passionate artist, will at some time or another find its way into the imagery on his canvas.
The undeniable and universal appeal of the art of Lie A Fo makes a strong impression not only in French Guyana where the artist currently lives and works, but also on visitors at his earlier exhibitions in Europe and the Caribbean. And starting from Friday the 7th of April it will be the Surinamese public that gets to enjoy the new collection of art works that John Lie A Fo presents in his solo exhibition Kumbat’tey at Readytex Art Gallery. The exhibition is on display in the gallery until Saturday the 15th of April. Opening hours are Monday thru Friday from 08:00am-04:30pm and on Saturday from 08:30am-01:30pm. Extra opening nights on Friday April 7 and Saturday April 8 from 07:00pm-09:00pm. The gallery is closed on Friday April 14.
A sneak preview …
Thursday-Night-Feature: presentation by René Tosari about syuru, also known as sorrel
What: Thursday-Night-Feature, presentation by René Tosari about his fascination with syuru, also known as sorrel
When: Thursday January 05, 2017, 19:00 hrs (doors open 19:00 hrs, start presentation 19:30 hrs)
Where: Readytex Art Gallery, Steenbakkerijstraat 30, Paramaribo, Suriname
René Tosari, ‘The Beauty’, mixed media on canvas, 120x100cm, 2016
At Readytex Art Gallery the new year brings with it new possibilities and new challenges, and of course also a new series of Thursday-Night-Features to look forward to! Eager to kick things off for us in 2017 is Surinamese visual artist René Tosari. On January 5th, the first Thursday of the year, Tosari presents a new collection of artworks inspired by an interesting, somewhat unexpected theme. His new artwork has everything to do with a specific plant that the artist is currently fascinated with: sjoeroe or sorrel as the plant is called in the Caribbean.
Over a year ago René Tosari became interested in the fruit of the sorrel plant through a friend who is originally from Trinidad, David Michael. When the artist discovers that it is a very sturdy plant that multiplies easily and rapidly, and from which delicious and healthy tea or juice can be made, ideas start brewing in his artistic brain. David’s stories about the use of sorrel in traditional Caribbean culture as well as Tosari’s own childhood memories about the use of sorrel in Suriname strengthen his interest. The engagement shown in the earlier work of Tosari, especially in the 80’s with regards to socio-political and also agricultural subjects, seems to resurface as a result of his interest in sorrel.
The artist currently has plenty of sorrel plants growing in his garden and his home is always well stocked with sorrel tea. He eagerly hands out plants and fruit and his fascination with the plant has inevitably grown into a new art project. He has entered into a new phase in his art. In some of his new works the inspiration can be read from the canvas literally, but there are also a number of interesting abstract pieces in which the link with sorrel is not so obviously present.
Why and how Tosari became so interested in sorrel and how it has influenced his art, will be explained by the artist at the TNF on Thursday January 5th. He will be assisted in his presentation by David Michael who will briefly talk about the history and the use of sorrel in the Caribbean.
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René Tosari has a new website. Please click here.
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Eline Visser is in her first year of DIY Textile School, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. For her modules Contrast & Form, she does research and experiments collage techniques with paper and textile, during her stay in Boxel, Wanica, Suriname in December 2016-January 2017. Here is a Sranan Art Xposed Flickr album with the Project Syuru Sorrel Sjoeroe.
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From Wikipedia: “In the Caribbean, sorrel drink is made from sepals of the roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). In Mexico, ‘agua de Flor de Jamaica’ (water flavored with roselle) frequently called ‘agua de Jamaica’ is most often homemade. It is prepared by boiling dried sepals and calyces of the sorrel/flower of Jamaica plant in water for 8 to 10 minutes (or until the water turns red), then adding sugar. It is often served chilled. This is also done in Saint Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago where it is called ‘sorrel’. (In Jamaica, it was introduced by Akan slaves in the late 1600s.) The drink is one of several inexpensive beverages (aguas frescas) commonly consumed in Mexico and Central America; they are typically made from fresh fruits, juices or extracts. Something similar is done in Jamaica but flavor is added by brewing the tea with ginger and adding rum, making a popular drink at Christmas time. It is also very popular in Trinidad and Tobago where cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves are preferred to ginger.”
Making sorrel drink in the happy kitchen / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2016
Kurt Nahar artist-in-residence in New Orleans
It is turning out to be quite an interesting year for visual artist Kurt Nahar. On July 9th,, 2016, he leaves for the USA where he will spend three weeks at the Joan Mitchell Center (on Facebook) in New Orleans as an artist-in-residence researching and creating work about a social issue that has, in past and present, held the whole world in its throes. In New Orleans Nahar will direct his energy towards the complex and multifaceted theme of various refugee crises.
Kurt Nahar / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2016
The residency at the Joan Mitchell Center (on Facebook) was brought to the attention of Readytex Art Gallery by their good friend and trusted collaborator in the arts, Rosie Gordon-Wallace of DVCAI (Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator) (on Facebook) in Miami. In recent years Rosie has travelled to Suriname with a team of US/Caribbean artists twice and she has been a fan and supporter of the work of Kurt Nahar for even longer than that. On her recommendation the team of Readytex Art Gallery set to work with partner artist Kurt Nahar, to submit an application on his behalf for participation in this residency project in New Orleans. In February 2016 we were informed that the selection committee of the Joan Mitchell Center had granted Kurt Nahar a spot in her summer residency program.
During the opening of ‘Treasure hunt’, an exhibition curated by Bart Krieger, February 4, 2016, Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname, february 4-13, 2016, an installation about the refugee crisis in Europe, by Kurt Nahar / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2016
An installation about the refugee crisis in Europe, by Kurt Nahar / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2016
The Joan Mitchell Center aims to be a place for creation, innovation and transformation, while supporting values of community, diversity and social equity. It will therefore undoubtedly serve as the perfect backdrop and environment for the work that Kurt plans to create during his residency. In his research Kurt Nahar will explore the various angles of the issue of forced displacement of large groups of people, focusing primarily on the victims of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the Maroons who fled their jungle villages after the war in the interior in Suriname in the 80’s, as well as the current refugee crises from the Middle East that affect so many countries around the world. He will focus especially on the aftermath, and the often-tragic consequences for all communities and individuals involved. What exactly his resulting artwork will end up being – although it is almost certain that it will be an installation made from locally found materials -, depends on that which he encounters during his research.
Nahar’s residency at the Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans runs from July 11th until August 5th, 2016. From there the artist travels to Miami where he will spend several days as a guest of DVCAI (on Facebook) where Rosie Gordon-Wallace has arranged various opportunities for him to present his work in her lively art community there.
TEXT Press release Readytex Art Gallery, 2016
Kurt Nahar / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2016
Dhiradj Ramsamoedj artist-in-residence in France
In December 2015 Readytex Art Gallery received good news for one of her partner artists. Visual artist Dhiradj Ramsamoedj was selected for an artist in residence stay at Cité internationale des arts (also on Facebook) in Paris, France, supported by the partners La Direction des Affaires Culturelles de Guyane (DAC de Guyane) (Direction of Cultural Affairs in La Guyane) (also on Facebook) and the French embassy in Suriname (also on Facebook). A project that will eventually will be coordinated by the cultural operator L’Alliance Française de Paramaribo.
Dhiradj Ramsamoedj, presenting his plans for the artist’s residency / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2016
The opportunity for several artists to submit applications for this residency in Paris, France, in 2016 was presented to Readytex Art Gallery by the gallery’s art contact in French Guyana, David Redon of DAC de Guyane. The application process was further guided by Laetitia Péant, the cultural attaché of the French embassy in Suriname. For the preparation of the required application documents, including the project proposals, the artists were assisted by the professional team of Readytex Art Gallery. The applications were subsequently submitted to, and reviewed by, the selection committee of ‘L Institut français in France. In December it was announced that Dhiradj Ramsamoedj was the Surinamese artist chosen for the residency in Paris.
Dhiradj Ramsamoedj is a very promising artist who uses his carefully conceived paintings and installations to express his concerns about various questionable social and political issues in modern society. During his residency-project in Paris he will construct an immense Anansi spider from pieces of cloth representative of Surinamese and French cultures. Ramsamoedj intends to present this mythical Anansi figure from Suriname’s and French Guyana’s shared African heritage, as a symbolical ambassador of cultural unity. For the technique Ramsamoedj will take inspiration from his ‘Flexible man’ figures, three-dimensional cloth sculptures, which he first presented in 2010 at the large Paramaribo SPAN exhibition in Paramaribo and which he has since shown in the Netherlands, the USA, Trinidad and Aruba.
Dhiradj Ramsamoedj, ‘Flexible man’ / PHOTO Roy Tjin, 2010
Identifying and facilitating international opportunities for her partner artists is an important and ongoing part of the Readytex Art Gallery mission. With the help of their gallery support system several artists submit applications to various art institutes and residency programs each year.
Dhiradj Ramsamoedj / PHOTO Courtesy Readytex Art Gallery
Ramsamoedj’s residency at Cité internationale des arts in Paris runs from July 1st until August 27th 2016. Financial and technical support for the residency is provided mainly by La Direction des Affaires Culturelles de Guyane (DAC de Guyane), the Cité internationale des arts residency, the French embassy in Suriname and L’Alliance Française de Paramaribo. In Suriname the artist receives professional guidance and support from Readytex Art Gallery. On Tuesday June 28th Dhiradj Ramsamoedj will hold a presentation of his Cité Internationale des arts project proposal at the French residency in Suriname.
TEXT Press release Readytex Art Gallery, 2016
A video made by Dhiradj Ramsamoedj in Paris.
Blog Dhiradj Ramsamoedj: http://dhiradjramsamoedj.blogspot.com/.
An article in ‘de Ware Tijd’, June 2016
SAX/Sranan Art Xposed nr. 11
January 2016 brings a well-filled edition of Sranan Art Xposed. If you haven’t received a mail yet, please send us a mail at srananart@gmail.com and mention whether you want the Dutch and/or the English edition. It is free of charge.
Cover SAX 11
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SAX 11 Nederlandse editie jan16
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An Eye for Art: Sunil Puljhun
In collaboration with art critic Rob Perrée, Readytex Art Gallery has developed a new, informative initiative: An Eye for Art. Once every two weeks Rob Perrée discusses a work of art from the collection of Readytex Art Gallery. This time he discusses the work ‘The Dancer’, mixed media on paper, 55 cm wide x 75 cm high, 2011, by Sunil Puljhun.
Sunil Puljhun, ‘The Dancer’, mixed media on paper, 55x75cm, 2011 / PHOTO Readytex Art Gallery/William Tsang
In 2011, Sunil Puljhun (Paramaribo, 1978) creates a series of works which remind me, from some distance, of tattered black and white photographs. Towards the bottom they seem to have given up.
When I take a better look, I discover that they are paintings after all. Not average paintings, because occasionally charcoal, sand and glued on elements supplement the acrylic paint, literally giving them depth.
And with regards to content, Puljhun also throws me off. Through the sophisticated use of black and white – shadow and light – and by giving the figures a high silhouette appearance, they radiate a seductive beauty. The scarcely applied colors strengthen that image. A second look offers more insight to this as well. Hidden behind the deceptive beauty, lies a dark world in which pain, fear and sadness dominate. The beautiful figures are threatened. The deep black appears to be a symbol of gloom and death. ‘The Dancer’ is not an elegant young man making beautiful jumps, but a man who is pursued by life threatening flames. The titles of other works – ‘Run for your Life’ and ‘Slavery’ – even more clearly point towards similar interpretation.
Also in stock: Sunil Puljhun, ‘Slavery’, mixed media on paper, 74x102cm, 2011 / PHOTO Readytex Art Gallery/William Tsang
That the paintings of Puljhun remind me of photographs, is also due to the fact that the artist uses photos as a source. I know that he’s been experimenting with existing images which he finds on the internet, since 2011. With Photoshop or some other photo editing program he distorts these images, so that not only do they become his, but they also incorporate his emotions. A logical and interesting experiment of which I hope to one day see the results. Sunil Puljhun was once an artist who in his work seemed to only bring tribute to beauty. ‘The Dancer’ shows that he is capable of providing beauty with poignant content.
TEXT Rob Perrée
TRANSLATION Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld, 2014
Want to take a closer, personal look at this work? That’s possible at Readytex Art Gallery, Maagdenstraat 44-upstairs, Paramaribo. www.readytexartgallery.com. For more information about Sunil Puljhun please visit the website www.readytexartgallery.com/sunilpuljhun.
This edition of An Eye for Art has been sent as a RAG-mailing on March 12, 2014 and was published in Kunst en Cultuur in de Ware Tijd on March 12, 2014.
Because really looking at art and understanding art are not always obvious and easy to do, we hope that these regular reviews will at least offer you some insight into the process. You will get to see how a connoisseur looks at art, discusses it, and then links the work to others within the international art world.
Of course you can only truly judge a work of art when you are actually standing in front of it yourself. We therefore hope to see you soon in Readytex Art Gallery and are eager to hear what you think of this artwork, and which other works of art you find yourself drawn to. Please note that the artworks discussed are still available for purchase at the time that the review is published.
Rob Perrée is art historian and works as freelance writer, art critic and curator, specialized in contemporary (Afro-) American art, African art, Surinamese art and art using new media. His work has appeared in countless catalogues, books, magazines and newspapers. He is editor of Sranan Art Xposed, editor in chief of Africanah.org and a member of the editing team of Pf Photo Magazine. His website: http://robperree.com.
