Fresh off the laurels of his ‘Native Sons’ exhibition at The National Gallery, artist Gordon Solomon opens ‘True Colours’, his first ever solo show at the Westin, later this month.
Gordon Solomon’s compilation of 25 new works is based on past and present Cayman. Drawing inspirations from the surrounding environment, his heritage and his religion, Gordon has created a diverse and vibrant collection through which he hopes will connect with his audience and reinforce Cayman’s cultural and social legacy.
Viewers will recognise images reminiscent of ‘times gone by’ in the series inspired by photographs from the National Archives, along side Cayman Parrots and other flora and fauna of the islands. These subjects are executed in a wide variety of styles from realism to abstraction, and Gordon’s own unique form of Pointillism.
Gordon declares that ‘the love of art and the desire to create has ever been present’ in his life, from his first taste of the arts using markers and pens, through school and further education at the Community College and The University of Superior Art in Cuba, and now as an established local artist.
Gordon’s creative talent was first recognised publicly in 1999 when he exhibited with Native Sons at the National Museum.
In the years since, Gordon has become an important member of the artistic community both through the continued development and exhibition of his art and the many community projects in which he is involved.
Diverse public art projects include a collaboration with The National Gallery to design the exterior of a vehicle during the annual ‘Cayfest’ art exhibition and the monumental task of illustrating the past and present history of the islands on the walls of The Cayman Islands Marine Institute. He has also worked on the creation of an ‘ART IS SMART’ mural in the central George Town area with students from the National Gallery’s Art Magnet youth development programme (for which he was an instructor) and several large commissions, such as painting a mural of Mr Arthur Martin at the Arthur Martins Creative Empowerment youth Centre, The Mango Tree Restaurant, The Globe Bar, The Macro Matrix, and a church in Newlands.
In 2001 Gordon participated in The National Gallery’s first ‘Artist Away’ programme. Here he gained knowledge of lithography and collography print making techniques, along side several of Cuba’s most esteemed artists, receiving his completion certificate at the Taller Experimental de Grafica in Havana Cuba.
Gordon soon represented Cayman again in the Social Justice Forum, The Commonwealth Youth Exchange, which was hosted in Manderville, Jamaica, and has been named recipient of Cayman National Cultural Foundation’s award for Artistic Endeavour.
From exhibitions at The National Museum, the Visual Arts Society, Art@Governors, the McCoy Prize and various galleries, and recently at an international art exhibition in London, to being featured in the local media, Gordon has undoubtedly made an impressive move into the world of fine art and established his artistic roots in the art community. He explains, ‘I am blessed as an artist and feel it is my duty to be creative and bring attention to the history of these Islands.’
True Colours runs from 14 September until 15 October at the Westin Casuarina Resort.
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