George Struikelblok ( kunstschilder )

Schilder en beeldend kunstenaar George Struikelblok opende dinsdagavond zijn nieuwe solo-expositie ‘Lob’ mi tu tamara’ in De Hal aan de Grote Combéweg. Wie de kans heeft, moet de komende dagen zeker gaan kijken.

‘Tru lobi’, ‘Makandra’, ‘No mek mi fadon’, ‘Lobi wan’; de titels van de nieuwe kunstwerken van Struikelblok spreken voor zich. Net als de felle kleuren en de overtuiging waarmee de kunstenaar zijn schilderijen en beelden heeft gemaakt. Maar Struikelblok laat nog meer dan genoeg aan de verbeelding over.

Zo heeft hij een combinatie vervaardigd van talloze kleurige spaarvarkens rond drie gedaanten die volledig in elkaar opgaan. Of een spoor van spiegeltjes en gekleurde doppen dat leidt naar een liggende gestalte van schuimplastic. En anders een heel stel vrolijke springballonnen die op het water dansen.

Dat laatste kunstwerk bevindt zich op het water bij de Ma Retraite Mall. Zoals er ook vier beelden zijn te vinden op het Onafhankelijkheidsplein. De overige nieuwe kunstwerken van Struikelblok zijn in De Hal tentoongesteld. Daar zijn de grote doeken het spectaculairst. Figuratief, abstract maar vol leven en energie.

Wie goed kijkt, haalt een sociale boodschap uit de nieuwe werken van Struikelblok. Dat kinderen in liefde moeten opgroeien en niet in de steek gelaten mogen worden. Dat we stil moeten staan bij het lot van kinderen in een weeshuis. Nu, maar ook in de toekomst.

Tijdens de opening geniet de kunstenaar temidden van zeker tweehonderd bezoekers van alle aandacht. Hij moest de afgelopen weken nog stevig doorwerken om alle kunstwerken te kunnen presenteren, vertelt hij. Dat viel nog niet mee omdat Struikelblok eind vorig jaar door een ongeluk in zijn atelier bijna zijn hand verloor. Twaalf hechtingen zitten erin en zijn linkerhand is nog steeds gezwollen. Nog een geluk dat hij rechts is.

De expositie van Struikelblok is nog tot en met zondag te zien in De Hal, telkens vanaf zeven uur ’s avonds. Op zaterdag wordt de speciale 3D-dansvoorstelling herhaald die dinsdagavond tijdens de opening van de expositie werd opgevoerd. Het is een intiem optreden van dansers van de Soeki Irodikromo Volksacademie voor Kunst en Cultuur, onder leiding van Dwight Warsodikromo. Ze zijn van top tot teen door Struikelblok beschilderd in dezelfde felle kleuren als de kunstwerken die hen omringen. De dansers worden begeleid door percussionist Bongo Charlie.

George Struikelblok goes all out – His first Surinamese solo in four yearsFifty years ago the French artist Yves Klein came up with a remarkable performance. He applied blue paint to the bodies of several (naked) women. The by then already famous, patented ‘International Klein Blue’. Subsequently, these women, serving as ‘living brushes’, painted a large white canvas. In the meantime ‘music’ resounded, the so-called ‘Monotone Symphony’, a sound that went on for twenty minutes. The result was a painting upon which the blue stains were indeed a dead give-away of their origins, but that could easily be called abstract as well.

George Struikelblok turns it around and substitutes the Minimal, Western tune for a Caribbean. He paints upon the bodies of six young dancers. He uses the colors that most often appear in his paintings. He then has them appear seemingly from out of his canvases and perform a slow dance to the rhythm of drumbeats. He brings the figures on his canvases to life.

With this performance he opens his exhibition ‘Lob’ mi tu tamara’.

Color in (e)motion / PHOTO: Marieke Visser/Sranan Art, 2011
It is four years since George Struikelblok had his last solo-exhibition in Suriname. He did in the meantime participate in Paramaribo SPAN and had several successful solo-exhibitions outside of his homeland. With ‘Lob’ mi tu tamara’ the artist sends out a strong signal that he is still present. And more than that. He goes all out with a large exhibition in and in front of De Hal and with a number of sculptures on the Onafhankelijkheidsplein (Independence Square) and in the water opposite the Maretraite Mall.

Even if the country would want to, Suriname has no way of avoiding Struikelblok for a while to come.

De Hal displays primarily his paintings. A lot of paintings. As a Dutchman indoctrinated by Calvijn, the way in which Surinamese artists fill entire walls, takes, without failing, some getting used to. We tend to prefer clean and minimalistic. Struikelblok however does it in a restrained, balanced, but mostly intelligent manner. He creates ensembles on the wall. He combines a number of paintings with each other in a specific arrangement. Sometimes on a colored background. That arrangement is based upon color, form, imagery, but especially intuition. The result is, that the canvases enter into a mutual ‘communication’. They influence each other. And, more importantly even, is that they give me, the viewer, the opportunity to make of it, my own story. They allow me the space for my own interpretation.

The paintings of Struikelblok are always colorful, they always include moving figures referring to people, with balloon-like heads, and they always incorporate the alphabet and a series of numbers. The colors generally stand side by side and are mostly in contrast with each other, rather than going together. In between the figures and forms, splatters result in a loose, Pollockian coherence. Where the action takes place is impossible to find out. Neither time nor place comes into play. The only indication of place is a ladder-like shape that you might possibly interpret as some sort of Jacob’s Ladder. According to the book of Genesis, a ladder on the way to heaven. That might sound somewhat exaggerated, but because love is the theme of his paintings, that reference is not as unlikely as it may seem.

Because Struikelblok uses recognizable imagery with fixed, always repeating elements, it looks as though he works with a template, a basic shape, and searches for variations from there on out. That is risky. Repetition leads not only to recognition, but also to boredom. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised by a number of darker canvases, of which three have been hung in connection with one another. On those the bright colors are replaced with primarily rust-brown, the forms and figures come together in a larger, almost abstract whole. The usual patterns become part of a suggestive, expressionistic imagery that triggers the fantasy of the viewer. In these works, George Struikelblok goes all out and increasingly gives in to the moment, to chance.

In De Hal stands a striking sculpture. Or is it an installation? Three human-like, vulnerable figures support each other back to back. They are surrounded by piggy banks. For those who have followed the work of Struikelblok in recent years, it is obvious that this piece refers to the fate of foster children, his second love. For these figures he has melted a certain kind of foam which he then poured into cloth moulds. Once inside it starts to solidify and occasionally literally searches for a way out, whereby rough, unpolished shapes are created, infused with drops and stains. The result is a natural cohesion between form and content.

The theme of foster children is repeated in an installation on the front porch of De Hal. A rough (human?) shape, a kind of trunk, or is it a romp, lies on a part black and part red sub-surface. On the black part it is surrounded by letters from foster children in which they express their thoughts with regards to their personal situation. On the red part the ‘trunk’ is visually elongated by a large mirror, which is surrounded by small pink mirrors on which the same children have written a one word wish. Although this piece certainly exudes a certain kind of emotion, especially if you are prepared to actually read the texts and take on the confrontation with yourself in the mirror, it still looses itself in an excessive amount of separate information elements, so that the strength of the overall work is diminished.

The sculptures on the Onafhankelijkheidsplein however, do posses that strength. Again made in part from solidified foam they reach, also because of their striking colors, triumphantly up towards the sky and deliver in an original way, their positive message. They are inevitably static, since they are after all sculptures, but in their execution they are lively and expressive. They resemble dancers who have participated in a performance and who now, afterwards, present themselves to an applauding public.

In the event that there were Surinamers who had somehow forgotten about George Struikelblok, they can now, with ‘Lob’ mi tu tamara’ consider themselves completely updated and informed. He once again proves that he is an artist who is not hesitant to make general, much used themes his own, and while searching and experimenting still gives those themes a totally unique interpretation. No small achievement.

TEXT Rob Perrée

Rob Perrée is an art historian, freelance writer and exhibition maker, editor of Kunstbeeld, alternately living and working in Amsterdam and Brooklyn.

TRANSLATION Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld

Before the dancers of the Soeki Irodikromo Volksacademie voor Kunst & Cultuur started dancing, George Struikelblok asked the audience to watch the performance through a frame. This way the dance was less a stage production but more a painting brought to life. The dance was a choreogaphy by Dweight Karsodikromo to bring George Struikelbloks paintings to life. A new dimension!

Suriname art in World Bank ‘About Change’ program
February 22, 2011 | Author DevSur
PARAMARIBO—A number of artists affiliated to the Readytex Art Gallery are exhibiting work at several locations of the World Bank and other prominent organizations within the bank’s network. The exhibition, part of the World Bank’s About Change Emerging Artists” program, affords artists from Latin America and the Caribbean the opportunity to reach world stages with their work. “Suriname’s participation in the World Bank Art program ‘About Change’ is a positive step for Surinamese art in its pursuit to further integrate into the globalizing art world,” ReadyTex Art Gallery wrote in a press release. Work from Suriname based Marcel Pinas, George Struikelblok, Sri Irodikromo, Dhiradj Ramsamoedj, Roddney Tjon Poen Gie, Jhunry Udenhout and Hanka Wolterstorff and Patricia Kaersenhout –Surinamese but residing in The Netherlands- will be on display through 2011 and 2012, at two separate exhibitions within the program.

The “About Change emerging artists’ program”, is an initiative of the World Bank in partnership with the Inter‐American Development Bank, the OAS, and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat. About Change is a series of juried exhibitions of contemporary art from Latin America and the Caribbean region that will take place during 2011 and 2012 at different locations in Washington, D.C., including the World Bank, the Art Museum of the Americas, and the galleries of the Inter‐American Development Bank. It is organized by the World Bank Art Program under auspices of the World Bank Vice Presidency for Latin America and the Caribbean Region.

In October the list of participating artists was announced: the eight artists from Suriname would present their Works at two exhibitions of the About Change art program of the World Bank.

The first event, an exhibition in which exclusively art from the Caribbean is showcased, was opened on Friday 21st January 2011 in the Art Museum of the Americas of the OAS in Washington DC.

In this exhibition named “Wrestling with the image: Caribbean interventions”, works from the artists Marcel Pinas, Sri Irodikromo, Dhiradj Ramsamoedj and also Patricia Kaersenhout are included. The press release from the organization stated amongst other things the following: “The exhibition presents works in a variety of media, including photography, video, painting, graphic arts, sculpture, and installation. The scope of the objects demonstrates how the region’s contemporary artists are confronting stereotypes about the Caribbean without denying their own surroundings or rejecting the worlds in which they operate”. The curators of this exhibition are artist and curator Christopher Cozier (the Trinidadian Cozier was also co curator of the exhibition Paramaribo SPAN at De Surinaamsche Bank N.V. in Suriname in February of 2010) and art historian Tatiana Flores. The exhibition will be on display until March 10th of 2011.

Artist Struikelblok amazes with Lob mi Tamara Tu expo
March 30, 2011 | Author DevSur
PARAMARIBO–The crowd that gathered at De Hal Tuesday night March 29th to witness the opening of artist George Struikelblok’s Lob Mi Tamara Tu (Love me Tomorrow as well) exposition, got dished up much more than your average art expo. Struikelblok’s work certainly screamed off the panels in bright colors, straight into the wallets of enthusiasts who bought on the spot; but the night turned out to be about more than that, as the artist’s friends and family –clad in clothing as colorful as his work- took the opportunity to publicly declare their admiration for him. But while his wife Asha’s and daughter Anjenie’s avowals definitely claimed their share of emotional oohhh’s, it was Struikelblok’s unique presentation of his 3-D work that truly gave a peek into his artistic being, marveling all present.

Dancers from the Soeki Irodikromo Volksacademie voor Kunst en Cultuur, their gazes set stoically into a faraway nothing and their bodies with splashes of similar bright colors as the artist painted with, performed a complicated dance in front of the triple-piece installation, magically bringing it to life.

Struikelblok shows his artistic prowess with his spectacular solo-exhibition that runs till April 3rd, hosted by Readytex Art Gallery. A press release from the gallery reads: As is to be expected the artist will present a new collection of his striking signature paintings, but in this exhibition Lob’ mi tu tamara, he gives free reign to his creative urges and creates an entire range of fascinating Works in different techniques, media and materials.

As is characteristic of the artistic identity of George Struikelblok he also includes a variety of three-dimensional art installations which harbor a strong social message. In Lob’ mi tu tamara, just as in his previous Lob’ makandra shows, the emphasis of his three-dimensional work in particular, lies on children in foster homes. He uses his modern conceptual art installations to confront the viewer with the fate of this lonely, oftentimes neglected Group of children in Suriname. The title speaks for itself. Today, but also tomorrow and in the future we should offer our support to these children. Aid, but also love and attention, from the community, but especially from parents whom, for whatever reasons, they get to see and hear far too little of, are basic human needs that they regrettably have to do without quite often.

In the striking paintings the emphasis lies more on love and happiness in more conventional family situations. The human need for love today, tomorrow and beyond, is also the central theme but here the work exudes a more carefree and positive quality, bursting with energy. The typical ‘Struikelblok’ figures playfully and energetically interact against dynamic backgrounds of confidently yet impulsively applied splatters, lines and shapes in a bold color palette. To heighten the effect of the work, Struikelblok hangs some of his paintings on colorful backdrops and shows the public how they can achieve fascinating results with art and color in their own homes as well.

Lob’ mi tu tamara is open for the public in De Hal at the Grote Combéweg 45, from Wednesday march 30th until Sunday April 3rd from 19:00 – 21:00 hrs. On Thursday March 31st the artist gives an informal and interactive presentation on his work. On Saturday April 2nd there is a festive finissage at which time the dancers will once again perform the presentation of 3D painting.

Readytex: new George Struikelblok solo exhibition close at hand
February 16, 2011 | Author DevSur
PARAMARIBO–In less than two months De Hal at de Grote Combéweg will be the spot where George Struikelblok will once again surprise his fans with a spectacular show. True, ‘spectacular show’ might not be a generally used description when talking about an art exhibition, but the exhibition that George is currently working on, is indeed much more than a standard art exhibition. Those who are familiar with the artist already expect him to add surprising, new and innovative elements to every art exhibition. After all, most of us remember his three dimensional installations from past National Art Fairs and last year’s Paramaribo SPAN exhibition, quite well.

And once again the artist is bursting with new ideas. The exhibition which will expand upon the artists’ most recent theme of ‘Lob Makandra’ will open with the ‘on scene’ creation of a fabulous life art installation, or rather a 3D painting as George Struikelblok himself prefers to call it. Try to imagine it like this: living, moving, art! That is all we’re giving away at this time, but it will most definitely be quite spectacular!! Then of course the usual installation art will once again have a strong presence. This was certainly to be expected, but the artist does plan to add yet another dimension this time around. He plans to add to the exhibition, three dimensional elements that are to be positioned at locations far outside the premises of De Hal. In the build-up towards the exhibition he is requesting permits for the installation of art objects at several public spaces throughout Paramaribo. Whether his requests will be approved, is yet to be seen, but the public can be rest assured that all the art objects, which he is already working on by the way, will definitely find a place during the exhibition.

Not to be forgotten is a beautiful new collection of paintings that will liven up the walls of De Hal. The artist’s theme of ‘Lob Makandra’ once again inspires creations in which the positive energy and “joie de vivre” associated with love and friendship seems to literally jump off the canvas. Huge canvases measuring approximately 3 meters in height and large, medium sized as well as small paintings will be displayed in an interesting new way. The exhibition promises a great deal! The public can expect a spectacular presentation in which not only static images, although extremely colorful and dynamic, but also sound and movement will play a significant role. Make sure to reserve the exhibition dates in your busy schedules well in advance, and don’t miss the show!

The solo exhibition of George Struikelblok opens on Tuesday the 29th of March and will be open to the public from March 30th until Saturday April 2nd. Please look forward to more information to come and your official invitation for the event.

Readytex Art Gallery press release

March 22, 2011 | Author DevSur
PARAMARIBO–Artist George Struikelblok on Tuesday March 29 opens his three-day exhibition “Lob Mi Tamara” (Love me Tomorrow) in De Hal at Grote Combeweg in Paramaribo.

On Thursday March 31 the artist will give an informal and interactive presentation on his work (7:30pm) and on Saturday April 2nd there will be a festive finissage at which time dancers will perform the presentation of his 3D painting (7pm). The exhibition closes on Sunday April 3rd is the last day of the exhibition.

Struikelblok is known to surprise and awe with new and innovative elements at every art exhibition. His three dimensional installations he unveiled at the National Art Fairs and last year’s Paramaribo SPAN exhibition are renowned.

"A true artist puts something from himself in his work. You have to make what you want to make. Don't be afraid."

George Struikelblok (1973) heeft zich in een relatief korte periode ontwikkeld tot één van de belangrijkste kunstenaars die momenteel actief is in Suriname. Hij begon zijn carrière al op 14 jarige leeftijd, toen hij een tekenopleiding genoot aan de Nola Hatterman Kunstacademie in Paramaribo. Na deze opleiding voltooid te hebben, dacht Struikelblok aanvankelijk dat hij het kunstenaarschap zich al eigen had gemaakt. Hij maakte realistische werken en schilderde voornamelijk in opdracht. Een tweejarige opleiding in Jamaica bleek echter een belangrijke stap te zijn voor zowel zijn carrière als voor zijn persoonlijke ontwikkeling.

Struikelblok verloor al voor zijn geboorte zijn biologische vader. Hij krijgt zijn achternaam van de man met wie zijn moeder hertrouwt. Maar ook deze tweede vader overlijdt heel vroeg. Met dit verleden werd hij geconfronteerd bij zijn vertrek naar Jamaica in 1997. Hij liet zijn vrouw en zijn 6 maanden oude dochtertje achter. Struikelblok realiseerde zich dat hij zijn gevoelens een plek moest geven. Dit deed hij door middel van zijn kunst. Hij begon anders te werken. Hij schilderde wat hij wilde, wat hij voelde. Zijn ziel legde hij als het ware bloot in zijn schilderijen, waarbij hij abstracte elementen combineerde met figuratieve motieven. Waarbij hij door kleuren zijn emoties liet spreken en waarbij woorden zijn geheimen bloot gaven.

Een schildersezel gebruikt Struikelblok niet. Hij maakt zijn werken op de grond van zijn atelier. Een kwast gebruikt hij nauwelijks. Hij laat de verf uit de blikken druppelen op het oppervlak en creëert een vlekkerig effect door zijn werk met acryl en olieverf te bespatten. Alleen voor de schaduwen op de achtergrond wordt een brede kwast gehanteerd. Zijn figuren hebben geen gezicht. Ze stellen vaak zijn familie voor. Zijn vrouw, kinderen en de gevallen figuur, zijn vader. Vlak na Jamaica schildert hij voornamelijk in donkere kleuren die zijn gemoedstoestand op dat moment weergeven. Met woorden op zijn doeken zet hij zijn gevoelens kracht bij. Langzamerhand veranderen zijn schilderijen. Hij werkt meer en meer met fellere, levendige kleuren. Van de figuren neemt hij echter nog geen afstand, ze staan symbool voor Struikelblok als kunstenaar. Hij verwerkt geen woorden meer op zijn werk, deze zorgen namelijk voor veel vragen van toeschouwers. Nu voltooit hij zijn werken door het gehele alfabet op het oppervlak te schilderen. De toeschouwer mag zijn eigen woorden maken.

Behalve in Suriname heeft Struikelblok ook in het buitenland succes. Zo exposeerde hij onder meer in Brazilië, Zwitserland, de VS en in Nederland. Gedurende zijn verblijf in het buitenland miste hij voornamelijk een eigen plek om te werken. Om dit voor andere kunstenaars te realiseren, startte hij Atelier Struikelblok. Hier kunnen kunstenaars uit het buitenland slapen, werken en presentaties geven. Ook galerieën zijn er welkom. Dit project betekende zoveel voor hem dat hij al zijn geld erin investeerde. Door zijn kunstenaarschap en zijn activiteiten hieromtrent behoort Struikelblok niet meer tot de nieuwe generatie kunstenaars van Suriname. Hij heeft daar zijn titel al verworven en is hard op weg ook een grote naam buiten zijn geboorteplaats te maken.

Tekst: Priscilla Tosari, februari 2009