By Lakhram Bhagirat
Esther Nankoo is complex, and so is the artwork she puts out there. She is a limitless talent and has not confined herself to just one medium. She is a leader in every sense of the word, because not only is she complex but she is fierce. She is an artist extraordinaire, photographer, and poet.
No one can quite describe Esther’s work, it and her journey are like Esther. So here is what Esther has to say about those things.
“During the three years I’ve been an art student at the ER Burrowes School of Art, I have recognised the therapeutic qualities of painting. The process of manifesting inner thoughts and feelings onto a physical surface is immeasurably soothing.
“Introspection plays a critical role in the journey of becoming the best version of yourself. My focus is to continuously achieve a higher level of understanding of my emotions and thoughts through art.
The concepts of my art coincide with my individuality. As I experience each new day my perspectives broaden and thus my psyche evolves repeatedly, likewise my art. I constantly experiment with various art media such as inks, dyes and a variety of paints. Therefore, my approach towards art continually transforms, but my vision remains the same.
“I am greatly intrigued by surrealism, expressionism, and abstract artworks; concepts that are unique beyond the norm. I believe brushstrokes are a physical manifestation of the energy within an artist. Painting is a powerful visual language. It is for this reason I strongly advise my fellow artists to embrace their individuality in order to express their true selves without fear.
“I believe art should be created with passion; it should flow freely from your being without repressed emotions. Art is empowering.”
For Esther, art is not something she woke up one day and decided that she would get into, rather it is an interest she has had ever since she was a child. Along with painting, Esther takes breathtaking photos and writes soul -poetry. She is one for pushing the boundaries of everything she dabs in and it is quite evident in the work she puts out there.
Esther decided to share two of her most riveting poems with us in whom she talks about soul searching and living.
“Introspect”
I feel as though each moment I breathe an era is engraved in my lungs.
The wisps of time has taken it’s toll on this young soul of mine
And I grew like a wildflower beyond society’s pruned edges.
Many thoughts have spun their webs around my mind, interweaving with my psyche.
Like a gentle fog it settles,
Seeping into the nebulas behind my eyelids.
A blackhole is borne as my pupils dilate to the dawning of another day,
Destroying the existence of last night’s dream.
It amazes me, the mystery within my being.
Those aspects a mirror can never reflect, yet they are buried somewhere in my mind.
Somewhere I, myself cannot fathom into reality.
For now I shall let these thoughts seep onto pages,
Before they shrivel into the escapades of time.
“Hushed kiss of death”
Your first breath
Beyond the womb
An inhalation of
Consciousness
A cry of helplessness
From then to now
You’re still breathing
Past the same mouth
Perhaps a different tongue
Oh how you’ve grown
Growing closer to
The hush of death
Fate’s last certain kiss
Will it lull your soul
To someplace of peace
Would it be bitter
As the kiss of
A betrayer’s lust
Like a tang of lies
Awakening your flesh
Or is it sincere
Stirring the last flutter
Of your eyelashes
Seizing your heartstrings
An ode to life
(Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
