Christopher González
Christopher González (1943 – August 2, 2008) was a Jamaican expressionistic sculptor and painter.[1]
González was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1943.[1] He had a Puerto Rican father and Jamaican mother. González graduated from the Jamaica School of Art (The Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts) in 1963 where he majored in sculpture,[2] He later became a faculty member at the school.[1] González earned his Master's degree in Fine Arts from the California College of Arts and Crafts.[2] He taught at schools and institutions in Jamaica, California, and Atlanta, Georgia, during his career.[2]
He was influenced by Edna Manley and Pablo Picasso
He lived and worked within the Saint Ann Parish area with his wife and family.
González is, perhaps, best known for a 9-foot-tall (2.7 m) statue of Bob Marley, which is currently on display at a museum in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.[1] The abstract stautue depicts Marley with a tree trunk for a lower body and a distorted face.[1] The sculpture was pelted with fruit and rocks by angry Marley fans when it was unveiled in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1983 on the second anniversary of his death.[1]
González was also well known for creating two bronze reliefs which commemorates Jamaican independence from Great Britain.[1] He also worked on the tomb of the former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Norman Washington Manley.[1] Within Jamaica, examples of González's work is displayed at the Jamaica National Heroes' Memorial, the National Gallery of Jamaica, the residence of the Prime Minister and the Bank of Jamaica.[2] He also held both group and solo art shows in Jamaica, the United States, Denmark, Cuba, Canada and Mexico.[2]
González was awarded an order of distinction towards art in the Jamaican society along with several other awards such as: first prize at the Jamaica Fine Arts Festival Competition in 1965.[2] He was also awarded the Jamaican Silver Musgrave Medal in 1974.[2]
Christopher González died of cancer on August 2, 2008, in Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, Jamaica, at the age of 65.[1] He was survived by his wife, Champayne Clarke-Gonzalez, and six children Chinyere, Odiaka, Asha, Christina, Abenah, and Nailah Gonzalez.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Jamaican artist Christopher González dies". Associated Press (Boston Globe). 2008-08-04. http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2008/08/04/jamaican_artist_christopher_gonzalez_dies/. Retrieved 2008-08-09.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d e f g "Fine arts festival today". Jamaica Gleaner. 2007-04-29. http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070429/arts/arts2.html. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
