Art with Timor

Art with Timor
Paintings by Sebastian Silva
Beaufort Hotel Complex, Darwin, June 25-27
Reviewed by Deb Sorensen

Calm rural scenes of East Timor and local vistas were the subject matter for Sebastian Silva's debut Darwin exhibition. Dili peasants are beautifully painted with a rich yet sombre use of colour and characteristic short brush strokes.

These paintings depicting people were, in my opinion, the best works in this exhibition. Painted from memories of a childhood in Dili, they were more engrossing than his paintings of the Darwin area.

While I did like these, they bordered on being cliched. However, Silva manages to capture a quality of light in his seascapes which is a great skill in any artist.

According to the exhibition's program, Silva aims to focus attention on the lives of his native country people through his paintings. His belief in the right of the East Timorese to self-determination and a peaceful co-existence comes through in his work. The exhibition as a whole was quite impressive and I feel that Silva has a promising future.

Some of the work exhibited is for sale. For more information contact Sebastian Silva on (089) 278 586.

This article was posted on the Green Left Weekly Home Page.
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