Dear Editor,
July 15th, 2021 marks the 1st Anniversary since the passing of two renowned Guyanese, George Simon and Osaze. George Simon Artist/Archeologist was the winner of a number of National and International awards as an Artist and Archeologist whose paintings explored our Pre and Post-Colombian Cultures and whose Archeological finds on the Coastland of Guyana liken to those of Puerto Humego – Colombia- evidence of the existence of the Indigenous Presence thousands of years before Columbus’s arrival in the “New World”. As a friend, George was an inspiration. After my head injury in January 2016, he urged me to continue my experience in the painting category. Following his advice, I applied my knowledge as a sculpture into painting. One year later I won the Second Place Prize, a Silver Medal, in the Guyana Visual Arts Competition (GVAC) 2017. George was an energetic organizer, he formed the Moving Circle of Artists, which brought out many talented Indigenous Artists who exhibited annually at the Indigenous Month Exhibition, which was a yearly featured event at the National Gallery Castellani House. Unfortunately, there was no display in 2020 due to the Covid19 Pandemic. Now that galleries are reopened in Brazil, Haiti, the USA, Norway, the Netherlands, etc. in keeping with the Covid19 regulations, there could still be an Indigenous Month Exhibition in which we can truly pay homage to this outstanding Guyanese Artist George Simon.
Osaze was a versatile and innovative artist, a genius in his own field of creativity, another such remarkable Guyanese Artist was the late Winston Strick. Osaze would recycle discarded materials and create fantastic Artistic Gems. He was also the Cartoonist for the Mirror Newspaper in the late 70s and early 80s. Osaze never took part in the NVAC or any Art Competitions, but Private Collectors in Guyana and the Diaspora have acquired his works. There are no works of Art by Osaze or Brian Elicock, another young sculptor who had displayed much talent in the late 1970s and 1980s, in the National Gallery. As a matter of fact, the National Gallery in its 28 years of existence has not sought to acquire sculptures from prize-winning Guyanese Artists – Gary Thomas, George Hope, myself, Francis Ferreira, or the late Bertram and Omawale. The sculptures that are repeatedly displayed at the National Gallery were acquired by the late Chairman of the Department of Culture Ms. Lynette Dolphin and the late Director of Art Dr. Dennis Williams. There is no continuum to show the development of the Creative Arts and the significant contribution that our Sculptors have made. In concluding this letter, on the occasion of the “crossing over” of George Simon and Osaze, it is a sad predicament that as we all “cross-over” the failure to fully appreciate our contribution will be a loss to future generations of Guyanese.
Sincerely,
Desmond Alli
General Secretary
Guyana United Artists GUA