Photo by Michael Robinson
Muir's Early Morning Service.
Michael Robinson, Sunday Gleaner Writer
David Muir's retirement has been more of a rebirth, if his biography is anything to go by. Originally a hobbyist-painter, Muir has dedicated 31 years of his life to Jamaican art through the Institute of Jamaica. He spent 17 years as an assistant curator in the institute's museums division. Eight years as deputy director of the National Gallery of Jamaica and six years as personnel officer, including time with the Cultural Training Centre (now the Edna Manley College), round out Muir's tenure with the Institute of Jamaica.
In 1980, with 19 years left until his eventual retirement, Muir was awarded the Institute of Jamaica's Centennial Medal for long and dedicated service. In 1990, English-born Muir started taking his 'hobby' more seriously and had one of his two entries selected for the Annual National Exhibition at the National Gallery.
Muir's fifth exhibition since his retirement is now on at Harmony Hall, St Ann. The work has the fresh perspective of a hobbyist and at times the artist captures snippets of Jamaican life with the lyrical quality of an amused observer.
'Siblings' and 'Water Carriers' portray children going about their daily chores. In the first painting, two children carry laundry as they wade through the shallow waters of a river; in the second, a boy carries water in a large pail on his head while a younger girl totes a small bucket by his side. Images of everyday life in Jamaica are elevated to iconic status by Muir's brush.
The appeal of portraits like 'Peppa-Swims Seller' and 'Not a Quattie Wut Sell' might be of more curiosity to someone straight out of Kent, England. Having spent half a century in this country, however, most of that time plumbing Jamaica's cultural depths working with the institute, David Muir seems to have a fair grasp of the little pieces that make up the uniquely Jamaican experience. These two titles hint at a more than cursory knowledge of the artist's adopted country.
Intuitive style
In an intuitive style, Muir captures moments like 'Miss Mattie About to Win' in a way that feels familiar. The only woman at a domino game, Miss Mattie has her winning 'card' poised below the table and appears very ready to come down with a winner's slam. The tension in the scene is palpable and purely Jamaican.
Before working with the Institute of Jamaica, Muir worked with Things Jamaican, the retail chain dedicated to indigenous craft. He also participated in the original restoration of Devon House. It seems his love for this country and its cultural elements is as powerful as the dedication and commitment Muir showed throughout his professional career. In his retirement years, that passion — thanks to some initial prodding from his wife, Beverly - continues to flow on to his canvases.
If people are the country's character, the landscape gives us the spirit of Jamaica. Muir's other area of focus, besides the occasional still life ('Evening Catch') is geography. His landscapes are romantic and intriguing, with colours from across the spectrum as he paints both day and night 'scapes'. 'The Barn Owl' is a composition of blues with the title bird in white, soaring high in the night sky. In another picture, the purples of early evening convey the richness and mystery of a Jamaican dusk.
Stark reality
'Land, Sea & Sky' is elemental. The image shows a fishing boat, with its pilots clad in rain gear, battling a rough ocean. In the background, a mountain range is the only land visible. This offshore adventure looks like a scene from some epic movie, but is a stark reality for fishermen who make their living from the sea. Muir shines a spotlight on these unsung heroes who are responsible for the seafood that is later consumed in the contrasting serenity of restaurant settings.
David Muir looks at Jamaica and paints what he sees. What he sees gives us a country where life is simpler and the things that matter are earth, sky, water and food. His view of the country he has adopted might, at first glance, seem naive in light of the darker things that the news media regularly choose to focus on. But Muir's perspective is appealing for just that reason. In the midst of darkness, there is light. People still get up and care about the things that really matter, like each other and tending to the basic needs of the ones they love. The mythical Jamaica that our grandparents talk about still exists in pockets.
All is not lost, Muir's work shows. If we want transformation, Jamaica is still ours for the changing.
