Phillip Moore eulogised as a national treasure
THE SQUARE of the Revolution (1763 Monument) came alive on Thursday night when an Evening of Tributes was held to celebrate and commemorate the life of Guyana’s iconic sculptor Philip Alphonso Moore CCH, the man who sculpted the monument in the vicinity of which the ceremony was held. Phillip Moore died at his Region 6 home at Lancaster, Corentyne, East Berbice on Sunday, May 13, 2012 after ailing for some time.  He had graced this world for 90 years.

Collaborative effort
The programme, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport with support from the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA), attracted representation from various other cultural entities and political organisations, as well as enthusiastic members of the public.
Among the distinguished gathering were the acting President of Guyana, the Honourable Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr. Frank Anthony; Georgetown Mayor Mr. Hamilton Green; the junior Mr. Phillip Moore; executives and other members of ACDA; APNU Parliamentarians Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and Mr. Carl Greenidge, and others.
Emcee was Colonel Ross, of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
A prelude of rich African cultural music set the tone for a spirited three-hour programme, which featured the ‘pouring on of libation, led by Elder Lennox King of the African Apostolic Mystical Council; rhythmic drumming and dancing rendered by the Hebrew Drummers; African Dance by the Dominion and Unique Dance Groups; poems, and not least – the highlight of the evening’s programme – tributes to the memory of the late, great Phillip Moore.

A Celebration
The occasion did not lend itself to mourning, but to celebrating the life and legacy of a unique icon who had made Guyana proud with his inimitable works of artistry, self-effacing humility, and the undoubted simplicity of a man who had never lost the common touch with the ordinary man in the street.
The tributes flowed like a river, reverberating powerfully across the Square of the Revolution, warming the hearts and comforting the spirits of the attentive, appreciative audience, who hung on every word that was said. Tributes were articulated with a special fervour, pride and passion by speakers who had known this unforgettable son of the soil, and valued his contribution to the land of his birth.
He was remembered as a legendary philosopher; a devout Jordanite; someone who was pious, humble, loveable, inspirational and ingenious; who had put family and country above self; a great artist and sculptor; one with a love for the country, and who was at peace with himself; never haughty or defiant, but a great lover of humanity.
Speakers remembered this great icon as one who understood and taught symbolism, and worked resolutely towards removing the stigmatisation, negative perception, and cultural warfare waged against the works of art he had held dear. Through him, Guyanese were taught symbolism; taught about folklore; taught to exploit and nurture their God-given skills which could serve to empower them.  The creation and proliferation of such works, he felt, would empower his people.
As a mystic, he was neither haughty nor overblown with himself, but used simple language to get his messages across. He was critical when he knew criticism was merited, and defiant against all odds in standing for what he believed.

Tangible honour
Amidst the tributes came calls for Moore to be posthumously conferred with the nation’s highest national honour (Vincent Alexander of ACDA’s Education Committee); and for the Square of the Revolution, on which his signature work of art – the 1763 Monument — stands to be treated as the sacred place it is; and for the nation of Guyana to collectively dedicate their energies towards improving the environment, and preserving and treating the place as the sacred place it is (Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine).
Dr. Roopnaraine remembered Phillip More as one of Guyana’s most noble sons. Having known Moore personally for several years, he spoke of his great works of art – painting and sculpting.  Though self-made, Dr Roopnaraine said, Moore was a man who sought after perfection; and with his sculpting of the 1763 Monument, rose to international acclaim in 1975. The monument was presented to the people of Guyana in 1976.
The 1763 Monument, towering majestically above the gathering as it overlooks the city of Georgetown, was acknowledged as “a great monument Phillip Moore has left us”; and Dr Roopnaraine made his call for the environment around the monument to be preserved and treated as sacred.
He recalled having sat with Phillip Moore in happy times – such as when he was in the process of painting the bridge of the diaspora and other occasions; but more recently, as he journeyed through his final days. “It was sad to see him in his discomfort over the last two years, virtually immobilised, but his eyes still bearing that sparkle.” He recalled there was an aura about Moore; a sense of peace and serenity. Being a man who was always in touch with his own inner being, He was a Jordanite and was engaged in spiritual activity of the highest order.

In touch with self
Dr Roopnaraine eulogised Phillip Moore as a philosopher; a deep ecological thinker, who had a passion for rural life and thought deeply about the countryside; about the landscape; about the ecology of our country. For Moore, the village was a place of virtue, and he held the view that those engrossed in urban life would have lost touch with themselves. Hence, a lot of his art had to do with putting his people back in their pre-medial origin, Roopnarine said, and thus he created a special piece of painting to celebrate the values of the village.
Against this backdrop, it was Phillip Moore’s special request that, on his passing, he be buried in the countryside, at the Auchlyne cemetery on the Corentyne, next to his beloved wife. Of Moore’s passing, Dr. Roopnarine said: “He has gone to the great beyond… He has entered a preferred sphere; and tonight we should rejoice, knowing in effect that ‘the other Phillip’ is at peace.”
Mr. Vincent Alexander, who extended condolences on behalf of the Education Committee of ACDA, and on behalf of the Burnham Foundation, alluded to Phillip Moore as one of Guyana’s icons, sculptor extraordinaire, philosopher, spiritualist and true naturalist. Alexander said that Moore’s death epitomises life eternal, and the life Moore had lived must be seen as an example to all Guyanese, and to Guyanese of African heritage in particular.
He said his organisation embraces the idea that Phillip Moore should be given the highest national recognition, since the knowledge of his life speaks for itself. Moore’s life, he said, is a reminder that in all of us there are God-given talents which, if recognised and exploited, can make the sky the limit for us.
Alexander said his organisation embraces the idea that Moore should be given the highest national recognition in the knowledge that his life speaks for itself. He added that, due to the foresight of the late President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, Moore’s works are national treasures. He concurred that on this occasion, “We mourn not, but celebrate the life of Phillip Moore.”

Shining example
Meanwhile, family members fondly remembered him as “a shining example of a model of determination and achievement. One member told of his great love for his family, which influenced him to give up a successful career in the USA to return to Guyana and be with the family, and in the land of his birth.
“For us all, he was a shining artist. He has been a positive influence, not only for those of us in the Region, but for all who came into contact with him. “Wherever he found himself, he demonstrated the philosophy of godliness with his aspiration and consideration for all Guyanese.  “In this way, he was truly Guyana’s national treasure,” she asserted.
Mayor Hamilton Green, who joined in paying tribute to the fallen icon, asserted: “We honour, by any respect, a great man…” And turning his attention to Moore’s masterpiece, towering above the gathering and overlooking the city of Georgetown, Mayor Green asserted with pride: “This monument is, by any measure, the most historically significant monument in the English-speaking Caribbean.”
He recalled that Moore’s main concern was to “reconnect our ancestors; our past with the present”.
“Phillip Alphonso Moore, whenever he spoke, it was to inspire, give guidance, and where necessary, to be critical, hopeful that it would result in shaping a better people for a better tomorrow,”
Mayor Green offered tribute on his own behalf, and on that of the leader of the People’s National Congress, Mr. Robert Corbin. He also had words of commendation for the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony; Dr. James Rose, Mr. Lennox Canterbury, and others for the work they put into organising the programme for a man whom he described as ‘one of our greatest’.
Given all that the great Phillip Moore stood for, Mayor Green said, in real tribute to Phillip Moore, it is important that we leave his legacy in a society that is more harmonised.
Dr. Frank Anthony extended condolences to the bereaved family members of Phillip Moore, and to all those whose lives Moore would have touched. Dr Anthony said he did not think that one night was adequate to detail the 90 years of life and creativity Moore had given to this nation. He was of the view that many more nights and days were needed to ponder the ideas and legacy Moore has left us.
He noted that, even in what appeared to be the very simple things Moore would have communicated to the Guyanese people, there was something more profound that we ought to try to understand, and embody what is said so that we ourselves could live better lives.
He noted that Moore, as a philosopher, wanted so many things for his people; and he urged that we should try to carry out those messages. “… and if we were to do that, we would live in the spirit of Phillip Moore,” he surmised.
Commenting on Moore’s art, which always carried a subliminal message, Dr. Anthony said he thought Moore used his art to teach us, based on his paintings and what they represented. He submitted that Moore’s art should be used in a profound way to teach us about our history, noting that the 1763 Monument was quite a testimony to that. He concluded, “What we can all agree on is that Phillip Moore, by his art, has helped to define us as a people. Regardless of how the colonials would have seen or defined us,” he said. “But when he produced his art, it helped to forever define us as a people and as a nation; and for that all[of] us should be truly grateful.’
The acting President, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who joined in paying tribute to that erstwhile son of the soil, offered condolences on behalf of the government. Hinds observed that the 1763 Monument under which the Evening of Tributes was being dedicated was a most appropriate venue at which to celebrate Moore’s life.
Reflecting on the life of the legendary artist and sculptor, Hinds said he had come to know Moore better over the last 10 years, on the Guyana Relief Council which Mrs. Yvonne Hinds chairs.  Phillip Moore had a working relationship with the council, for which he produced a lot of paintings.
He recalled that Moore began his works of art around 1947, producing pieces that are now in the national collection of art at Castellani House, where an exhibition is currently mounted in Moore’s honour. Over the years, Moore had worked with E.R. Burrowes and AstroArts, taking part in exhibitions in sculpture and winning prizes. In 1955, Moore taught carving at the Government Technical Institute; and in 1960 and 1968, again won national prizes for painting and sculpture.

Fame to Guyana
Mr. Hinds said Moore brought fame to Guyana when he was specially commended by the Royal Society of British Councillors for his ‘bat and ball’ plaque, among myriad other achievements. In the 1970s, Moore was appointed Artist in Residence at  Princeton University, USA, and won awards at the New Jersey Council for the Arts.