- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 05/Sep 08:06

Expect the unexpected in Martin Superville’s Twilight Zone

HAVE you ever watched a sunset or given a deep sigh at home after a hard day’s work? In his latest exhibition, Twilight Zone: Tovaco et Iere 11, which begins on September 6 at Studio Joli, 21, Henry Pierre Street, St James, veteran artist Martin Superville encourages people to not just pause and reflect but also to embrace the unexpected. Take the Independence Day on August 31 as an example. Superville told Newsday he had no inkling of the government’s plan to cancel the annual parade when he conceptualised Independence Day, one of the signature paintings in the collection. “Funny enough, I did that painting long before the Prime Minister made that decision. It personifies the celebration of Independence Day that was cancelled in a weird way. What is the irony of that?” he asked. [caption id="attachment_1176204" align="alignnone" width="1014"] Twilight Zone -[/caption] “Who would just think of doing this painting called Independence Day with horses in a green savannah and then they shut it down a week before the event? How does that happen? So for me, Independence had its ‘twilight zone,’ symbolically, last week when there was no parade.” For Superville, everyone experiences twilight zones in their lives. “Twilight zone is a time of dusk, when anything could happen, even before you eat dinner. It is a time to expect the unexpected, to reflect and move forward.” The owner and curator of The Art Gallery, Lowlands, Tobago, Superville said Twilight Zone is also about his journey as an artist and art dealer over the past 30 years. [caption id="attachment_1176203" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Independence Day -[/caption] He said, “A lot of the art dealers have died and you think about the direction that you, as a human being, want to go, which will reflect in your art. It is not really looking back per se but it’s more of hoping you could show care and mastery of your craft.” In the exhibition, which comprise 40 pieces, nothing was off-limits. “All of the pieces tell their own story because in Tobago you can’t cater for just one type of person liking your work. So the subject matter is varied. There are chickens, sheep, goat, cows, horses. It’s a domesticated show.” Superville said the pieces also offer an insight into his mindset. “It (Twilight Zone) is allegorical and the name itself will give you the feeling that the pieces are symbolic.” Essentially, the exhibition examines the evolution of Trinidad and Tobago: the buildings, waterfalls, beaches, lifestyle of its people. [caption id="attachment_1176202" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Metamorphosis Dance Company -[/caption] “It is about knowing our history and seeing it move to where it is now. So back in the day when the Amerindians were running around half-naked, we reflect on all those things and think about where the earth is going. So Twilight Zone is like a culmination but it is not a full-stop.” The Santa Cruz-born artist admitted, though, he did not deliberately set out to host another exhibition. “To decide on a showcasing of work just starts with one or two pieces and you build around it as things develop in your mind.” Reflecting on the state of the visual arts in developed countries, Superville noted that artists often come together to produce substantial, awe-inspiring work. Sometimes, he observed, companies even combine their resources to commission professional artists to do work, which is loaned to airports, museums and other facilities so that the public can see them. Saying the new terminal of the ANR Robinson International Airport, when officially opened, can be a platform to showcase the work of Tobagonian artists, Superville said there must be greater respect for the creative sector in TT. He said, “We glorify wealth and we glorify the things that bring wealth to the country but we have to look at the creative aspects of the sector, which truly builds your land. “Having plenty cash from your oil industry is one thing but it is what you do with the cash. Walking around beating your chest and saying, ‘I have plenty money,’ does nothing for your society.” Superville believes this is one of the reasons why there is so much crime in the society. “The wealth is not spread evenly and the people with plenty would not find themselves involved in building the society by employing, indirectly, the artists in the creative sector.” As a means of reversing the trend, he said big businesses should adopt artists and help to nurture their talents. “You will find that the creative sector could build because you take the stress out of the creative person looking for a dollar because they now have support.” Superville, whose work has been exhibited in Barbados, Anguilla, Antigua, Washington and New York, said such gestures are common in developed countries. “That is how they end up with all these big masterpieces because they invested in young artists growing up. They ended up getting early works that are worth millions now.” He believes the country is not investing as fully as it should in the creative arts. “But it is important for our country to survive because if you have the young people coming up and they can’t get in the oil industry because it’s filled. They can’t be a lawyer because it’s filled. They can’t be a doctor because we have enough, the they have to turn to the creative sector. “And if that is not supported you find a lot of people are going to be on the street. So our consciousness has to be adjusted in terms of what is important to the society to build it.” Saying he knows, first-hand, the struggle of artists, Superville observed the art world in Tobago is developing slowly. “It is difficult to tell young people that the creative sector is something to look forward to when they don’t see anything happening.” Asked what he feels will be the major takeaway from the exhibition, Superville said, “The paintings. There is artwork for everyone and I am not necessarily talking about buying. This show is very eclectic and yet I try to unify it as one because when you are having exhibitions you don’t want to feel like it’s all over the place. It still has to be body of work.” He continued, “As a writer, somebody can start three stories ad join all of them up as one in the end. This is that type of approach I am using, where we see in movies they start something and you have no idea where it is going and then all of a sudden you see everything coming together.” Superville said he is in throes of completing the exhibition. “There are over 100 people in all of the paintings combined and I am trying to finish them. You just have to push sleep aside to make it happen. You have to give of your time in a certain way to yourself. You have to put in the hard work.” He said many people want to be prominent artists but do not want to make the necessary sacrifices. “They don’t want to go into their field and explore the medium, all the different ways to get depth.” Superville is hoping the exhibition will be enjoyed not just by connoisseurs but average citizens who appreciate beautiful work. On September 6, the exhibition runs from 5 pm-8 pm and continues until September 18 from 10 am-6 pm, Monday to Friday and 10 am-2 pm on Saturdays.   The post Expect the unexpected in Martin Superville’s Twilight Zone appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.