The Spotlight is on...
Artist, Gerard Hanson!
Writer Nicole Bain interviews Gerard Hanson to gain insight into the artist.
Gerard Hanson's Works of Heart
Meet Gerard Hanson, a visual artist whose work is beginning to attract attention here in Jamaica, most recently gaining for him first place in the 2010 Super Plus Under Forty Art Competition
The 39 year-old UK born artist, who through the influence of family has made Jamaica his home, was first drawn to art as a young child. “I have always been keen on drawing from an early age. My first commission was at age sixteen,” he says. He continued in this vein after it became clear that he had both the talent and the interest in art, broadening his range over time to include painting, printmaking, photography, drawing and design.
Hanson's work is inspired by personal as well as researched material and he uses photography, audio recordings, drawings and memory to record these sources of inspiration. But while he may have several ideas at one time, Gerard is no assembly-line artist churning out mass produced cookie cutter works. Instead, the ideas seem to marinate, making their way onto the canvas in their own sweet time. Says Hanson: “I usually work on several pieces over a period of time ranging from weeks to years in some cases.”
So are there any down sides to doing what he loves for a living? “Yes” he says, “My least favourite thing about being an artist is the struggle to motivate myself sometimes.” Fortunately Jamaica provides many avenues for renewing drive and passion. Among Hanson's favourite spots are Treasure Beach in St. Elizabeth and Newroads in Westmoreland. He also finds the work of fellow artist Ebony Patterson, cultural theorist Stuart Hall, and singer Queen Ifrica inspiring.
Meet Gerard Hanson, a visual artist whose work is beginning to attract attention here in Jamaica, most recently gaining for him first place in the 2010 Super Plus Under Forty Art Competition
The 39 year-old UK born artist, who through the influence of family has made Jamaica his home, was first drawn to art as a young child. “I have always been keen on drawing from an early age. My first commission was at age sixteen,” he says. He continued in this vein after it became clear that he had both the talent and the interest in art, broadening his range over time to include painting, printmaking, photography, drawing and design.
Hanson's work is inspired by personal as well as researched material and he uses photography, audio recordings, drawings and memory to record these sources of inspiration. But while he may have several ideas at one time, Gerard is no assembly-line artist churning out mass produced cookie cutter works. Instead, the ideas seem to marinate, making their way onto the canvas in their own sweet time. Says Hanson: “I usually work on several pieces over a period of time ranging from weeks to years in some cases.”
So are there any down sides to doing what he loves for a living? “Yes” he says, “My least favourite thing about being an artist is the struggle to motivate myself sometimes.” Fortunately Jamaica provides many avenues for renewing drive and passion. Among Hanson's favourite spots are Treasure Beach in St. Elizabeth and Newroads in Westmoreland. He also finds the work of fellow artist Ebony Patterson, cultural theorist Stuart Hall, and singer Queen Ifrica inspiring.
Gerard receiving his award from Diana Thorburn-Chen with Wayne Chen looking on.
Jiggy, Newby Square - Archival inkjet and acrylic paint on canvas
Dollar II - Archival inkjet and acrylic paint on canvas.
JCE: Is there any significance to the colours you use as accents in your work?
GH: Yes, the colours work in contrast to the greys of the photographic image, alluding to a different sense of place and space. They also bring an element of memory to the work which the viewer may bring to it themselves.
JCE: Why use the accents at all?
GH: I think without the colour the work would lack the same kind of resonance and impact.
JCE: It is often hard to tell whether the subjects are in Jamaica or in the UK. Is that deliberate?
GH: This is deliberate as it reflects the mix of cultural signals and sign posts one comes across in current popular culture.
JCE: Is there a way in which the culture of one place is represented as reinforcing the culture of the other?
GH: I think the Jamaican culture especially is adopted by many of the younger generations across the world, it is seen as something cool and exciting.
JCE: In ‘Jiggy, Newby Square’ the subject in the foreground is staring at a retreating, kind of shadowy object. Is there a reason it appears so indistinct?
GH: The composition of this piece involves ideas of departure and arrival with the consequent memory associated with this event. This is a common occurrence in the history of Jamaican people.
JCE: How long did it take you to create the pieces submitted for the Super Plus Under 40 competition?
GH: They were completed over a period of roughly six months.
JCE: Is the focus on men in these works significant? Do you think if you were to represent women in this same theme of cross cultural movements the pieces would look very different?
GH: I think yes the focus on men is significant yet I’m unsure as to how different the results would be if the focus were to be switched to women. This is something I am exploring. I think the significance that is brought to bear in this male context is one which I feel may have a much more isolated and confrontational element within it.
Hanson's work has global reach. In addition to exhibitions he has previously done in the UK, he has shown pieces at the Beijing International Art Biennial in China, and more recently took part in About Change, at the World Bank Washington DC in December.
Jamaica-based art lovers can currently find his work at the Revolution Gallery at 46 Lady Musgrave Road in Kingston, in the National Gallery of Jamaica as part of the 2010 Biennial, or on his website at www.gerardhanson.com.
GH: Yes, the colours work in contrast to the greys of the photographic image, alluding to a different sense of place and space. They also bring an element of memory to the work which the viewer may bring to it themselves.
JCE: Why use the accents at all?
GH: I think without the colour the work would lack the same kind of resonance and impact.
JCE: It is often hard to tell whether the subjects are in Jamaica or in the UK. Is that deliberate?
GH: This is deliberate as it reflects the mix of cultural signals and sign posts one comes across in current popular culture.
JCE: Is there a way in which the culture of one place is represented as reinforcing the culture of the other?
GH: I think the Jamaican culture especially is adopted by many of the younger generations across the world, it is seen as something cool and exciting.
JCE: In ‘Jiggy, Newby Square’ the subject in the foreground is staring at a retreating, kind of shadowy object. Is there a reason it appears so indistinct?
GH: The composition of this piece involves ideas of departure and arrival with the consequent memory associated with this event. This is a common occurrence in the history of Jamaican people.
JCE: How long did it take you to create the pieces submitted for the Super Plus Under 40 competition?
GH: They were completed over a period of roughly six months.
JCE: Is the focus on men in these works significant? Do you think if you were to represent women in this same theme of cross cultural movements the pieces would look very different?
GH: I think yes the focus on men is significant yet I’m unsure as to how different the results would be if the focus were to be switched to women. This is something I am exploring. I think the significance that is brought to bear in this male context is one which I feel may have a much more isolated and confrontational element within it.
Hanson's work has global reach. In addition to exhibitions he has previously done in the UK, he has shown pieces at the Beijing International Art Biennial in China, and more recently took part in About Change, at the World Bank Washington DC in December.
Jamaica-based art lovers can currently find his work at the Revolution Gallery at 46 Lady Musgrave Road in Kingston, in the National Gallery of Jamaica as part of the 2010 Biennial, or on his website at www.gerardhanson.com.
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