Tag Archives: modern art

A Mixture of Africa and Europe

Jamaican born and USA stationed Michael Escoffery was voted one of the ‘100 Most Influential Caribbean Americans’ in 2012 , but when it comes to his art he remains humble. “It’s not good for an artist to speak too much about his work”, says Escoffery. “Let the work speak  for the artist.”

His parents introduced him to painting at a very young age, prompting Escoffery to say: “I have always been an artist, conceived by artists and born an artist”. He was formed in that typical Caribbean mixture of Africa and Europe, an influence that is still visible in his work, where he merges his cultural heritage with modern art.

Michael Escoffery’s style is not easily defined. He combines abstract-realism with expressionism, cubism and iconography. He takes his inspiration from his heritage, the Caribbean people, and from the female form. “A work of art should reveal something new to the viewer each time it is seen”, says Escoffery.

His art has been exhibited in over 200 solo exhibitions and over 300 group shows worldwide. His work has been included in over 100 books worldwide. He is considered outspoken, controversial, but sensitive to his position and responsibilities as an artist. “To be an artist demands great courage.”

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Thick Lips: Jean Girigori’s Trademark

Jean Girigori is one of the leading painters of the Caribbean. Her work is colorful, vibrant and joyous, her Expressionist-Naive style unique. She was born at sea, lived in the Dominican Republic during her childhood, and settled by way of Haiti on Curaçao, the country of  origin of her grandparents.

Women and women’s rights play a central role in Jean Girigori’s paintings. Her big eyed subjects look accusing into the world, denouncing social injustice just as much as enjoying life. The thick lips of her women are her trademark. These lips used to be  opened in her earlier paintings, but nowadays are almost always shut. In her interviews Jean Girigori always emphasizes the great contribution women make in their Caribbean community.

Jean Girigori has been exhibited around the Caribbean, in the United States and in the Netherlands.

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Augusto Marín: versatile Puertorican Artist

Augusto Marín (1921-2011) was a painter, draftsman, print maker, muralist, sculptor, stained-glass artist, and teacher. He covered expressionism, cubism and social-realism in his paintings. He is best described as a versatile contemporary artist.

Marín participated in the ‘Artistic Generation of the 1950s‘, a populist visual arts movement whose goal was to create images that affirmed the Puertorican identity.

His murals can be seen around Puerto Rico, for example at the Department of Housing building and the Fine Arts Center. His work can also be admired in several museums, including the Centro de Bellas Artes in Puerto Rico; the Museum of Contemporary Art in Puerto Rico; and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

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