Michael Elliott
Michael Elliott
In my artistic journey I often asked myself the question, what should my work express and what concepts do I bring to the table?. Through the years as I fine-tuned my craft in photorealism painting the issues both current and historic, as a Caribbean citizen in the art community I believe it is important to have a voice that embodies the questions of cultural identity while nurturing a creative methodology. My work tends to use symbolism frequently as I use it to iconise my ideas. The use of teacups in the Empire Windrush series is a prime example of this and I like to challenge the viewer in engaging in my themes. The work not only reflects ideas within the Jamaican diaspora but further afield. I tend to do themes that move me in terms of the developing story and intrigue. I consider myself like a journalist with a brush using a metaphoric way of presenting social issues. I have been producing work over a number of years since leaving the Edna Manley College of the Visual Arts in 2002, while exhibiting locally in Jamaica and abroad. I’ve continued to explore new frontiers including my work with photography, namely photo montages which are closely related to my paintings. The most recent voyage in my career has been with Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator based in Miami, florida. In this group I get a true sense of what being an artist within the Caribbean community means and I have experienced it first hand through dialogue and presentations with various artists, gallerists, historians and intellectuals. In 2018 I did a residency in Miami organised by DVCAI for the month of July. For more information on me and my work visit:
Date
September 17, 2017
Category
Artists