EE sent me this colorful stylized abstract portrait, 14” x 10,” a mixed media piece, acrylic with wax and pen and ink. It’s signed in the lower left with a pictograph or ideograph, lettering or initials an artist uses to create a little picture. J M Whistler became known for his initials in the abstracted shape of a butterfly. In a guide to names of artists who sign this way I found EE’s artist, Marcel Pinas (1971, Moengo, Marowijne, East Suriname.)
The ideograph signature is vital to the understand of this work and it its value as well. The value at the end of this article might surprise EE. She cleaned up her clutter, and found this piece, purchased at a local thrift store years ago.
Marcel Pinas Origin
Pinas comes from Surinamese, one of the smallest countries in South America with one of the most ethnically diverse populations. A former Dutch Colony, Dutch serves as the official language, but Sranan Tongo, an English-based Creole language prevails. A Caribbean culture, the early plantation economy of the 17th century to the mid-19th century existed on African slaves.
Both the confluence of languages and cultures matters to this artwork, as well as the African Slave trade. The artist belongs to the Maroon Community called The Aucaners, descendants of runaway slaves who established a unique culture in the dense South American jungle. I leaned, EE, that this artist interpreted and discovered inspiration in his heritage. He became a crusader for the Maroon heritage’s voice and imagery, and unique language. More about the language later.
Pinas’s own culture is the N’dyuka. He brought his work, which deals with this marginalized but colorful culture, to many famous museums and art schools such as the Rijksakadamie in Amsterdam, 2007. In 2010 the artist was named an Honored Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum in Geneva.
Where language becomes part of the visual art
I mentioned the pictograph signature, and we see little strange shaped letters throughout the piece. The pictograph or ideograph is the artist’s signature in his own native Afaka syllabary, a written alphabet made up of colors, and the markings of 56 letter shapes. In fact a closer look at EE’s piece reveals two sets of afaka markings. He titled his exhibition at Nestruimte, Den Haag, “Language is the Only Homeland.” I wonder what a Maroon born under Dutch rule showed in a Dutch center of influence like Den Haag. Pinas was about four years old when Suriname left the Kingdom of the Netherlands to become an independent state (1975).
EE, having owned this piece for 11 years, just now wondered WHAT it is. She bought it for a few dollars at Destined for Grace Thrift in Goleta. That’s what folks do in the ‘shut down;’ they look at their walls and take the time to see what they have. Do they, in fact, love it, and if not, what can they do with it? We all do this EE. I walked through my Upper East neighborhood and saw all kinds of free stuff out on the lawns.
Don’t give this painting away, EE.
The artist has great representation at Smithdavidson (sic) Gallery of Amsterdam and Miami, a gallery known worldwide for Aboriginal paintings. Their website features works by Pinas similar to yours. I recognize the artist’s bright colors, his reference to the customary geometric and bright colors used in the homes of the Marron people.
The artist, also a sculptor, creates mounted installations. Some use colorful fabrics, bones, totems, and of course the Afaka alphabet. One particularly interesting sculpture is a tea kettle engraved in a circle with this distinctive alphabet. EE, look up the book by the artist, Tembe Fi Libi, about his own project, a cultural festival in his home village of Moengo.
My research shows auction results of this artist going for $3,000-4,000. However, if you purchased it at this gallery mentioned above, you’d likely pay MUCH more. See what you learn when you look around your house?