Ras Ishi  Butcher

Born: August 5, 1960

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Website: www.rasishi.com

Occupation: Artist

Art Education:

College/University: Instituto Superior De Arte Date: 1995-1997   Barbados Community College Date: 1981

Residencies attended:

Bag Factory Date: 2005   Xayamica, Jamaica Date: 1995

Statement

My statement is on a wall, in an exhibition or in anything that I have done. I will leave the interpretation to the viewer, critic, historian, or any other person who wishes an explanation. I usually believe or always make the suggestion that I am talking about my process of creating, my influences and my artistic philosophy. These various positions should assist one in knowing more about me as an artist. The process of painting or of an artist creating is an act of magic. It’s a ritual of endowing objects or images with beauty. This magical experience usually terminates with extreme pleasure, a visual orgasm, or a disruption of one’s emotions and mental faculties when things go wrong. In a negative condition, I usually try to redeem myself by learning something new or different. A so-called mistake is another technique in one’s arsenal and a broadening of one’s capabilities to challenge other works. My ritualistic acts sometimes need chaotic circumstances and/or physical anguish for the best that I have internally to be revealed externally. That sense of uneasiness assists me in overcoming the anxiety one faces when working, especially in the initial stages of each work. Sometimes, I take many hours of conetemplation and brooding before the actual event commences; it requires total effort, discovering the interrelation between materials and ideas. For as soon as action starts it’s like a spontaneous and direct combustible reaction. The understanding of the media allows me the facility to work without thinking of subject or sometimes even object, since my mind is usually occupied with all sorts of fresh ideas and fantasies or anything that might amuse me, with loud music or noise in the background. I am often asked, “How do you work?” Although I work directly, I do lots of drawing to familiarize myself with lline and spatial manipulation; to know and understand the secrets of each image. In my final act, I have a unique knowledge of seeing each object. It is this unlocking of the object that allows me ease in my ultimate work. Sometimes, I work in series because of the many different ways that things can be seen and portrayed. The serialization allows me to push various ideas to possible extremes. The work usually terminates when it reaches the optimum, in the intermingling of media and idea. It is not ever finished but always seems to have a sense of being able to go further. Trying to attempt anything at this stage could either overwork or destroy the object. Reaching this equilibrium always depends on the artist’s sensibilities.

Keyworks:

Variegation, 1985, oil on canvas, Barbados   Fowler, 1992, oil on canvas, Dominican Republic   Renowned Planter, 1986, oil on canvas, USA   Annunciation, 1989, oil on canvas, USA   Hills and Valleys 1, 1992, oil on canvas, Barbados   Ital Princess, 1986, oil on canvas, USA   400 Years, 1994, oil on canvas, Barbados   High Chambers, 1995, oil on canvas, Barbados   Tribute to a Warrior, 2000/2003, mixed media, Barbados   Diario Secreto, 2000/2003, mixed media, Barbados

Exhibitions (Group):

1996, travelling exhibition, Caribbean Visions, USA   1994, Wilfredo Lam Centre, Fifth Havana Biennial, Cuba   1992, Museum of Modern Art, First Biennial, Dominican Republic   1989, Queen’s Park Gallery, Vexx—Ras Ishi, Woodpecker—Ras Akyem, Barbados   1986, The Barbados Museum & Historical Society, Personal Views—Ras Akyem & Ras Ishi, Barbados

Exhibitions (Solo):

2005, Zemicon Gallery, Secret Diaries, Barbados   2000, Zemicon Gallery, Nostalgia, Barbados   1995, The Barbados Museum & Historical Society, Isolation, Barbados

Publications (Written):

Representing Artist newsletter Date: 1992-1993

Publications (Discussed):

Viva Date: Summer 2000   Art in Barbados: What Kind of Mirror Image? Date: 1999   Black Art and Culture in the 20th Century Date: 1997   Caribbean Beat Date: Summer 1994   CaribArt: Contemporary Art of the Caribbean Date: 1993

Commissions (Public):

1995, Duncan Oneal, 20’ x 20’, mixed media, Barbados   1994, Untitled, 36” x 36”, oil on canvas, Barbados   1994, Untitled, 25” x 38”, oil on canvas, Barbados

Collections (Public):

National Art Collection, Barbados   University of the West Indies, Barbados   Museo de Arte, Dominican Republic

Collections (Private):

Mervyn Awon, Barbados   Nancy Yeager, USA   Andy Toppin, Barbados   Dr. Galler, USA

Awards:

Gold, Third Painting Biennial, Dominican Republic Date: 1996   Gold, First Painting Biennial, Dominican Republic Date: 1992   Eric Estorick Award, Art Collection Foundation Date: 1986   Berger Paints Award, Art Collection Foundation Date: 1985   Various awards, National Independence Festival of Creative Arts Date: 1983