Queens Museum of Art – “Instrument for Four Persons”; Caribbean Art Objecs
“Instrument for Four Persons” by Everald Brown, a Rastafarian artist from Jamaica (1917-2002), is a sculpture made of polychromed wood, metal, plastic, and goatskin, circa 1992. The sculpture resembles an instrument and has unique, elaborate paintings of birds and islands, reflecting Brown’s Rastafarian and Jamaican background. The wooden leg also displays beautifully carved circles and vein-like shapes/patterns. Brown is noted for his early works, which consist of carved ritual objects and decorations. “Instrument for Four Persons” is based on Brown’s dreams, experiences, and meditations with nature; Brown believes everything is instilled with nature. The sculpture is fairly large, about the size of a small cello.
To me, the most striking quality of this sculpture was its unique construction. It was unlike any instrument or sculpture I have ever seen before and seemed like a hybrid of a guitar, harp, and drum. The vivid coloration of the sculpture stood out to me and the simple paintings of birds made it seem indigenous to Jamaica and African roots. To me, the artwork emitted a cheery vibe and legitimately made it seem as if I shared a connection with Jamaican culture, as if I were viewing a piece of Jamaica.
I believe the sculpture represents peace and coexistence. The incorporation of different instruments represents the integration of different cultures. Furthermore, the birds are symbols of freedom and peace within the Rastafarian belief. “Instrument for Four Persons” is a new and unique form of sculpture as it is a hybrid of different cultural ideas, and thus resolves the problem associated with cultural isolation and presents the possibility of cultural hybridity.
Filed under Caribbean Art Objects | Comment (0)Queens Museum of Art – “Action de Castillo de Marocaibo”; Caribbean Art Objects
“Action de Castillo de Marocaibo” by Jose Maria Espinosa Prieto, a Colombian artist (1796-1833), is an oil painting on Canvas dated circa 1840. This painting depicts a scene of the Battle of Lake Marcaibo, which took place on July 24, 1823 in Venezuela. Interestingly, Espinosa is both a soldier and a painter; personal attributes that are reflected through this artwork. The right side of the painting shows a line of battleships bearing the Columbian flag facing an island and castle. The painting sets within a crystalline ocean surrounded by clear, blue skies. The painting is of a modest size, about 80cm x 120 cm, and has a smooth and glistening texture.
At first glance, I was drawn to the beautiful ‘blueness’ of the artwork. The blue ocean and sky gave the painting a serene feel, which was interesting to me since the painting was telling the story of a fiery battle. The horizon, where the sky and ocean meet, also seemed particularly calm and contrasted the repetition of fierce Colombian battleships, which created an imbalance in that all of the battleships were presented on one side of the painting. The left side seemed empty and only contained an island and castle.
To me, the painting as a whole represents the climax of the battle, in which the Colombians made advances in the battle. Espinosa glorifies this scene by adding serene elements into his artwork because he is Columbian himself. I believe the main problem Espinosa faced was creating a calm representation of a war, which most people see as a violent and stormy event.
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