Wednesday, April 25 2007

Artist Nikolai Noel’s exhibit of paintings at Caribbean Contemporary Arts — Forgiveness — began on April 17 and continues to May 11, 2007.

As part of CCA7’s Artist Talk Series, the artist will speak about his work tomorrow at 6 30 pm.

Nikolai’s provocative paintings fill the gallery walls and are riddled with religious symbology, fused with images that offer the feel of enslavement and tension. The artist has designed these images as part of his own invented mythology, representing ideas about Caribbean experience with regards to religious domination.

As one of the participating artists in the ‘Galvanize’ arts programme in 2006, Nikolai said the purpose of his work was to question the way in which human civilisation structures itself, and the processes that lend to its organisation.

In this series, Noel depicts this concern with a multi-layered approach, and constructed parables exist beneath the splendour of colour and striking compositions. Depicting a succession of simple, but intense, well- onstructed images. This body of work is a deliberation on history, colonialism, displacement and identity.

Shrouded mainly with Christian overtones, religion’s own identity in Trinidad comes into question.

Religion’s ability to divide and rule as an indicator of class and race, as an imposed ideal offering social integration through conversion, and as an old colonial figure. The ambivalent role of “Forgiveness” contextualises the exhibition, appearing as institutional manipulation. This then extends to the perpetual search for belonging through absolution of guilt — guilt for being a third world nation, for not being Black enough, White enough, Indian enough... all the politics and social struggles of a small island in full colour and graphite pencil.

Nikolai Noel has exhibited annually since the year 2000. Currently pursuing his degree in Visual Arts at the University of The West Indies in St Augustine, he has been working in commercial video as an animator after graduating from the John Donaldson Technical Institute.

For more information contact Caribbean Contemporary Arts at 625 1889 or 625 6805.