by Keleyan Otway
This November, the work of Swiss artist Dominik Burckhardt, will be on display in Zurich, Switzerland. Titled ‘Dominik Burckhardt – Portraits from the Lesser Antilles’ the exhibition features 25 portraits of Caribbean girls done in acrylics on paper.
Dominik and his wife Ingrid have made Grenada one of their preferred destinations for close to 2 decades. In fact, Grenada has become akin to a 2nd home for the couple. Fittingly, pieces from the upcoming exhibition include ‘Girl go La Tante,’ referencing the village of La Tante in St David; ‘Girl with a Grenadian Passport’ with the pride of the subject of this piece masterfully captured by the artist, and the provocative, evocative and historically suggestive piece ‘Girl with a Master’s Degree.’
The artist’s website www.domburck.com explains that: “He searches for themes to be turned into distinctive art projects by exploring all sorts of facets of human individuality and conditions.” As an admirer of the female form, Dominik is in a unique position to create what he has carefully observed, and unlike a photograph, he goes far beyond the surface. Dissimilar to Dominik’s ‘Nudes’ who live by the suggestive application of a master’s brush technique, ‘Portraits from the Lesser Antilles’ go much further as they provide us with a glimpse into the sensibility of these women. One is able to capture not only the individual but a people, a culture, a landscape. He brilliantly embodies what it means to be an ‘island girl.’
Pure Grenada and its beautiful people will surely captivate the Swiss come November through the masterful works of Dominik Burckhardt.