Go on a remarkable journey where legends, themes and worlds come alive through evocative art
Works of art can stimulate, astound and transform us. For this reason, a visit to the indigenous art exhibition being held at Castellani House is a must.
The exhibition, which opened on September 6 in celebration of Indigenous Heritage Month, showcases awe-inspiring, naturalistic paintings, drawings, crafts and sculptures. Additionally, the art exhibition, which is being held in collaboration with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, pays homage to a pioneer promoter of indigenous art and craft, Sr. Theresa La Rose, R.S.M.
At the opening of the exhibition, Minister of Social Cohesion, Dept. of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr George Norton spoke on La Rose’s role in the preservation of indigenous art and craft, noting that art forms an integral part of Guyanese culture. According to Minister Norton, the exhibition “offers persons a better appreciation of the time, efforts and sacrifices that were put into the art by the artists, something that most persons take for granted; as such there is no better way of preserving this aspect of indigenous culture than the hosting of such an exhibition to portray the works of Guyana’s first peoples to the eyes of the wider society.”
Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, urged indigenous artists to keep the works of La Rose alive.
“I am hoping that one day, through these very artistic ways, we can be able to shape a nation that is as colourful as the rainbow. The rainbow is not beautiful because it is divided… it keeps its formation, so if we keep our understanding of our roots, we keep our culture… each and every one of us… then we come together with respect, we will be as beautiful as that rainbow…” expressed Minister Allicock.
Sr. Theresa La Rose, who died in 2009, lives on as an ‘Amerindian’ icon. She was from the village of Santa Rosa in Region One (Barima-Waini). She was born Mary Theresa La Rose to Edmund and Amelia La Rose. She took the name Sister Theresa La Rose she became a nun. She received her early education at Santa Rosa School and, having entered the religious order of the Sisters of Mercy in 1953, she went on to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from the College Misericordia in Pennsylvania, US.
As an educator, La Rose served in schools located in Guyana’s interior as well as in Georgetown. Subsequently, she worked as a government official in various capacities among Guyana’s hinterland population. It was during this time as a government official that she focused her attention on identifying and nurturing the creative talents of Guyana’s indigenous peoples. She went on to manage a craft shop that showcased and sold indigenous crafts, seeking out works of highest quality for local and international exhibitions, up to the time of her death.
The exhibition, which continues until September 27, currently displays works by indigenous artists Victor Captain, Jerry Marco, Guy Marco, George Simon, Desmond Alli, Wilkie George, Ronsford Simon, Oswald Hussein and Roland Taylor.
Gallery hours are 10am to 5pm on Mondays to Fridays and 2pm to 6pm on Saturdays; the gallery is closed on Sundays and holidays. Castellani House, National Gallery of Art, is located on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown. For more information on the exhition, call 225-0579. (Information extracted from comments by Laureen Pierre. Additional reporting by Paula Gomes)
