Stanley Greaves hosts exhibition at Castellani House

ARTIST, writer, poet, musician and classical guitarist, who prefers to be known as, “A maker of things” is one of the Caribbean’s best, Stanley Greaves, A.A., and has once again brought a well-regarded set of exhibits: El Dorado Series – Sculpture ‘Extending the myth’ to Castellani House in Georgetown. The exhibition, which was sponsored by Demerara Distilleries Limited (DDL), opened in style on June 23.

Greaves told the Pepperpot Magazine that coming home to Guyana is always a pleasure. His exhibition featured14 pieces of his work and he told the gathering that domestic [work] relationships could be seen in certain pieces, some of which, according to him, depicted the home or the house while others, were, in a way, biographical.

The exhibition was shown by way of video, with each piece slowly revolving so that those in attendance were able to have a full view of them.

Greaves explained that because of the very high cost that would have been incurred to bring the exhibits to Guyana, he had to decide on making it a photographic exhibition instead. In so doing, he told the Pepperpot Magazine that he approached the Chairman of the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), Komal Samaroo, to have him sponsor the photographs for the exhibition and he willingly agreed.

According to Greaves, all the exhibits come under one single theme – the El Dorado series. He explained that usually a piece of sculpture would have one idea about it and that idea does not necessarily relate to the other; in this case, all the pieces come together because they have some sort of relationship with the El Dorado.

“We have the Soup Bowl; we have the Pet Bird; we have the River Boat and so many things come together because they are all under one theme – El Dorado… seeing that I am using gold and copper and brass, I thought that perhaps I should keep the idea of El Dorado behind me and not take any kind of material from the actual kiln,” Greaves said. “With El Dorado present in the gold and the brass and some of the other objects, perhaps the closest I have come to bringing El Dorado into play is the Roraima Steps… you have a whole foot or legs climbing up the steps of Roraima and of course El Dorado.”

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Greaves was born in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1934 to working-class parents and he is not abashed about this. His father, John was a waterfront worker and his mother Priscilla stayed at home and kept house.

A man of unassuming personality, he first studied art in Guyana with Edward Burrowes in the Working Peoples’ Art Class from 1946 to 1961; he also studied at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the United Kingdom from 1963 to 1968; was a Fulbright Scholar at the Howard University from 1979 to 1980. His studies included painting and majoring in sculpture. He also earned a Diploma in Art teaching.

During the times of his various commitments to studies, Greaves was always conscious of his home (Guyana) and made every effort to return to share his knowledge by teaching at several schools in the country. These included the Sacred Heart Primary, St. Stanislaus College, Berbice High School and Queen’s College. He was also Head of the Creative Arts Division of the University of Guyana from 1975 – 1986.

Greaves, now 84, left Guyana in 1987 to reside in Barbados, where he served as one of the first art and craft panelists for the Caribbean Examinations Council, designing the CXC syllabus. He also worked at the Barbados Community College as a tutor. In 2003 he was elected as a Distinguished Honourable Fellow at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.

Eventually leaving Barbados to reside in Carolina, USA, Greaves continues to come to Guyana to display his works and also to meet with his friends and family. He has special friends here and makes the effort to maintain a close relationship to the people he holds dear to him, as well as in his country, while always wanting to show what he is up to in the ‘making of things’ to them. Just a few years ago he celebrated his 80th birthday here in Guyana, among his close friends and associates in a grand way.

ONE-MAN SHOWS
For a man who has had one-man shows, Greaves has won numerous prizes in painting, sculpture, drawings, the printed work and even pottery. He was awarded the Guyana national honour of the Golden Arrow of Achievement in 1975. He has had several exhibitions at Castellani House in Guyana.

Additionally, he has exhibited his work nationally and internationally, winning several prizes along the way. Some of these exhibitions were held within the Caribbean, including Jamaica and Barbados, Colombia, Santo Domingo, the Fayetteville Museum of Art, Moruca Gallery Washington, the University of Fayetteville and Claflin University in South Carolina and the OAS in Washington.

Over the years his paintings have appeared on the cover of several books, mainly of poetry. (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)