By Subraj Singh

While the Walter Roth Museum was hosting an archaeological exhibition, at the same time another equally important exhibition was being held at the Castellani House last week.
The exhibition is entitled “Homage to Denis Williams – An Exhibition of Artworks by Indigenous Artists.” Denis Williams is one of those iconic Guyanese whom we wish, time and time again, could be honoured in some way that is truly befitting such an important figure in Guyanese history and culture. Such is the importance of Denis Williams that he is a central figure not only at Castellani House’s art exhibition but also at the Walter Roth Museum’s Archaeological exhibition.
The Walter Roth exhibition has ended, but the one at Castellani House runs until October 15.
The curators are keen to let the public know that “Homage to Denis Williams” was the most appropriate title for the exhibition because Mr. Williams, among other things, was “a pioneer Archaeologist and Anthropologist” who founded the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology 50 years ago and that the Museum itself was “the precursor for several prominent Cultural Institutions in Guyana – The E.R. Burrowes School of Art (1975), The Museum of African Heritage (1985) and the National Gallery of Art, Castellani House (1993).” Williams was also a lecturer in art, a writer, an artist himself, and an academic.

The exhibition itself is as interesting as its namesake and, in truth, it is quite a wonder to behold. Neatly laid out in the halls and rooms of Castellani house are an assortment of Amerindian art – every possible type of craft and artwork created by the indigenous peoples can be found at the exhibition. And, as interesting as the art itself, are the artists. Take, for example, Mr. Guy Fredericks from Region Nine. He practices the craft of creating balata figurines – making tiny animals (parrots, monkeys, macaws, turtles, manatees, caimans, anteaters, etc.), all of which are brilliantly coloured and exquisitely detailed. The craft, Mr. Fredericks says, is something that is a part of his family and he was encouraged by his father to pursue it. He is quick to point out that making balata figurines is a difficult and time-consuming process and that even after days of working on a piece, it is often disappointing to be paid a minimal and unfair sum for many, many hours of work. He is of the opinion that making balata figures is something that cannot be taught in a classroom and that only people who pursue it on their own accord, people with a natural love for making things, will be truly successful at that art form.

One of the most interesting things about the exhibition at Castellani House is that some of the balata craftsmen are working alongside the figurines, creating new figures from scratch (complete with pots of boiling water and lumps of dried balata) as the public watches on. This is being done, according to the craftsman, so that people would get a better understanding of how complex and difficult it is to make such figurines, which would then enable the public to better appreciate the balata crafts.
Another interesting craftsperson at the exhibition is Maria from Annai who specializes in using tibisiri straw and cotton to make everything from handbags to baskets and ornaments, bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Also of interest is Sameera Hernandez from St. Ignatius who used her tortoiseshell spindle at the exhibition to demonstrate to the public the process of spinning cotton into fabric. The crafts section of the exhibition also included colourful headdresses, dyed shirts and other handmade pieces of clothing and jewellery made entirely from natural products such as cotton, shells, beads and straw. Also on display were arrows and bows and countless pieces of ornaments and figurines, and many other new and innovative works inspired by Amerindian life and culture.

The artwork that was showcased came from a range of artists, including Oswald Hussein, Roland Taylor, George Simon, Desmond Alli, Edward Clenkien, Nigel Butler, Victor Captain, Ana Correia-Bevaun, Anil Roberts, Devina Deputron and others. Of course, nature was one of the dominant themes in the paintings and sculptures that were at the exhibition. This should not be surprising since it is well known that the connection between the Amerindians and the natural world is a unique one and for nature to manifest itself – as trees and flowers, jaguars, fishes, birds and rivers – in indigenous art is something that is always expected and inevitable and yet, this knowing of what to expect never diminishes the experience of viewing the work of such artists since they always manages to present well-known concepts in new, fresh and diverse ways.

The spiritual aspect was also heavily present in many of the works as many of them sought to present the Animism aspect of ancient Amerindian religion, especially in conjunction with the other dominant theme of the environment. There is a nice juxtaposition in the exhibition that can be seen when one thinks of modern artists, creating works that seek to represent ancient concepts from Amerindian ideology and beliefs, by using modern techniques and catering to a modern audience. In some ways, if one wishes to read that much into the process of creating art and the putting on of an exhibition such as this one, it is almost as if the exhibition itself is a subtle mirror of the current indigenous way of life itself – caught up in a modern world, with modern expectations, while, at the core, holding on to the ancient beliefs and traditions, passed down from generation to generation, that are often threatened by modernity. If anything, the exhibition shows that the past can coexist with the present, in some ways, and that, in fact, one can be used to bolster and emphasize the lessons of the other.

At the entrance to Castellani House, on a small plaque, and written in even smaller script, is a line which reads “Safeguarding and Promoting Our Heritage.” It is something that is sure to be passed over by many people who go into the building, but as one views the exhibition of Indigenous Art and then exits the building only to run into such a quote, the relevance and importance of cultural institutions like Castellani House become all the more pronounced and it becomes possible to say that with this exhibition, the institution has indeed tried to safeguard and promote a vital aspect of our nation’s heritage.