'Bringing in the Catch' by Joanne Sibley.
Claudia Hucke, Contributor
THE NEWEST exhibition at Mutual Gallery, 'Variations', shows the works of three female artists, Susan Alexander, Joanne Sibley and her daughter Gail Sibley. '3 Artists 5 Media', the sub-title of the exhibition, hints at the diversity in stylistic approaches employed by the artists.
All of Joanne and Gail Sibley's works focus on Jamaican scenes. Landscapes show Dunn's River Falls or open meadows in the country. There are seascapes, bustling market scenes, paintings of tranquil country life, and a few portraits. "Jamaica inspires us so much. When we go for walks through the country, we feel the humanity. Everybody is so colourful with their costumes, there is music everywhere how can you not want to paint when you are in Jamaica?" Joanne asks.
One can, therefore, say that the Sibleys continue the popular Jamaican genre of 'tropical' landscape painting that goes back to the 18th and 19th centuries, when European artists such as George Robertson and Isaac Belisario travelled to the Caribbean islands to create picturesque scenes, often for plantation owners. It is interesting to note that the paintings shown in this exhibition are, in fact, based on sketches created during travels in Jamaica - the former Jamaican residents now live in Canada and the Cayman Islands.
JAMAICAN PEOPLE
In addition to landscapes, the people of Jamaica are popular themes of their paintings, a genre that first appeared in Jamaican art history around the 1930s, when artists such as Edna Manley started to represent the lives of the black locals. Joanne Sibley's 'Roadside Stand', for instance, depicts in bright late afternoon colours a common sight: A small shack along a country road, two men lingering and offering local fruits in front of the shop, their heads turned as if they were waiting for something to happen. However, only two chickens disturb the tranquillity of the scene.
'Bringing in the Catch', on the other hand, captures the moment when fishermen reach the shore and women and children meet them at the beach. Despite the excitement caused by the event, the watercolour painting seems serene and very peaceful. It is the nature of the genre that nothing in those images reminds us of the hardships of everyday life in Jamaica.
The motifs of Gail Sibley's paintings in this exhibition are similar to those of her mother. There are landscapes such as 'Calabash Cove' or 'On the Black River', and country street scenes such as 'Main Street, Black River', or 'After School'. However, whereas Joanne mainly works in oil and watercolour, her daughter uses mostly pastel which has the effect that the 'tropical colours' are brought out even more effectively.
PASTEL AN INSTANT MEDIUM
Gail explains that pastel is a very instant medium that does not require any mixing of colours and is easy to carry, which is particularly important to her since she prefers to work outdoors. "When in Canada, people always note the tropical flavour in my works, but immediately understand my vibrant colours when I inform them that I grew up in Jamaica." Gail sums up: "The essence of our work is to capture the feeling of the Caribbean."
The Sibleys' subject matter is easily recognisable, pretty and highly appealing to a wide audience. It is not surprising, therefore, that the exhibition opening was extremely well attended with more than 100 visitors and quite a few works were sold instantly. According to the Sibleys, art enthusiasts in the Cayman Islands and in Canada, where they now live, also love to buy their 'Jamaican' works.
Initially planned for last year, the show at Mutual Gallery had to be postponed because of the severe damage done by Hurricane Ivan in the Cayman Islands. "It is great to have this show in Jamaica with Gail," said Joanne. "I have had two joint exhibitions with her and my husband at Kennedy Gallery in the Cayman Islands before, but all of us love Jamaica very much so it is very special for us to show here."
A CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP
Looking at the arrangement of the artists' works in the gallery, the connection between the two Sibleys on the one hand and Susan Alexander on the other hand does not seem clear at first sight. For whereas Joanne and Gail Sibley show solely paintings that depict 'Jamaican themes' such as landscapes and scenes of country life, Susan Alexander's bronze sculptures and poliform reliefs centring around mythology and dance appear much more universal in subject matter.
The connection must therefore be found outside the artists' oeuvre: Susan Alexander's and Joanne Sibley's personal histories are very much related. Both women were born in North America, one in the United States and the other in Canada; both fell in love with Jamaican men and subsequently moved to the island in the early 1950s. This exhibition celebrates their fifty-year-long friendship.
Originally a painter, Alexander turned to sculpture 25 years ago. The poliform reliefs in this exhibition represent moving figures in various different poses in front of a rectangular background. One series of works is inspired by mythology and shows Greek muses with their respective insignia, for instance, Urania, the muse of astronomy appears with a celestial globe, Calliope represents epic poetry with writing tables, and the muse of music, Euterpe, holds a flute.
"I have done paintings based on mythology before and now wanted to give them more three-dimensionality," explains Alexander. "I have been interested in dance for a long time and therefore the moving figure is a big inspiration to me." In addition to the poliform reliefs, the established artist shows four freestanding bronze sculptures and two paintings.
'Variations - 3 Artists 5 Media' will be on show at the Mutual Gallery, 2 Oxford Road, until 2 December. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. For information call 929-4302.
