 |  Roddney Tjon Poen Gie: compositions of letter-signs of the ancestors
Rodney Tjon Poen Gie was originally trained in the art of painting but he is also well known for his work as a sculptor. He produces a variety of sculptures amongst which small ceramic sculptures and beautifully detailed wooden sculptures. Because of its original shape and structure, the artist has also started experimenting with the so called “art trouvé” or pieces of driftwood which he attaches to wooden pedestals and sometimes works on with saw and drill but almost always paints. In painting these creations he uses beautiful contrasting colors and lines depending on perception or subject of observation. Lines are important to the artist and are characteristic in his painted creations, sculptures and paintings both. In his paintings Roddney Tjon Poen Gie is well known for using his own visual language which is based upon the letter symbols of his ancestors. He draws the characters and symbols three-dimensionally and thus produces a playful abstraction of Chinese letters and Afro Surinamese Afaka symbols in his artwork. Since 1995, in the Surinamese visual art industry a stream of artists has been recognised who intensively search for their roots and the multi-cultural heritage of the people of this unique country. Each artist expresses this in his own way. Roddney Tjon Poen Gi is the only one to express his roots in the abstract; in the letter writings and characters of his ancestors. With his work he tries to contribute to the cooperation amongst and integration of the different ethnic groups in Suriname. It is also the artists aim, to experiment in the cooperation and integration of all different techniques in which he experiments in order to come to the creation unique and multi-faceted art.
Working experience: Employed by het Directoraat Cultuur – Coördinator State collection - Autodidact in sculpting of wood since 1995 - Project: art for the elderly - Surifesta activity - Project: poster design for the handicapped – Surifesta activity - Project: Federation of Visual Artists in Suriname in Coronie in 2004 - 2009 Artist in Residence at Vermont Studio Center, USA - 2009 Artist in Residence at Duende, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Exhibitions: 2010 Paramaribo SPAN, DSB Bank, Paramaribo, Suriname 2009 National Art Fair (NK’09), Paramaribo, Suriname 2009 Double feature, Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname 2009 CBK en Duende, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 2009 Fernades goes Art with Readytex Art Gallery,Suriname 2008 NK'08, National Art Fair, Suriname 2008 Out of the Ocean, Readytex Art Gallery, Suriname 2008 Commonalities, IVCC, Suriname 2007 Synergy, IVCC and Readytex Art Gallery, Suriname 2007 Iets Anders, FVAS/AGA Readytex Art Gallery 2006 Kunst, Koffie en een Koekje Readytex Art Gallery 2006 Holland Art Fair Denhaag Nederland 2005 Open House Exhibition Readytex Art Gallery, Suriname 2004 Expo Ballroom Hotel Torarica, Surina Biënnale of Santo Domingo 2001 - 2005 National Art Fair (NKB), Suriname 2002 Expo 112 years Javaanse Immigration, Suriname Traveling Expo “between the lines” of Carribean artists 2000 Exhibition in Trinidad & Tobago


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