{"id":2855,"date":"2017-09-29T17:41:51","date_gmt":"2017-09-29T15:41:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rommysgallery.com\/?post_type=staff&p=2855"},"modified":"2017-09-29T17:41:51","modified_gmt":"2017-09-29T15:41:51","slug":"paul-woei","status":"publish","type":"staff","link":"https:\/\/rommysgallery.com\/es\/staff\/paul-woei\/","title":{"rendered":"Paul Woei"},"content":{"rendered":"

STATEMENT<\/p>\n

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Born in a chaotic society, immersed in today’s ever transitional change, I try through art to make sense of human bondage, how to cope with colonial heritage of disgraceful exploitation of human beings. During the process I experienced the wonders of a magnificent Amazon rainforest.<\/p>\n

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Suriname was a colony exploited for the benefit of European Colonials. Indigenous people were conscripted as slaves. The dwindling supply of natives was replaced by people from Africa. When transport of Africans was forbidden the shortage was replenished with shanghaied indentured laborers from China, then India and last from Indonesia. To all the descendants the Colonial heritage is a disturbing saga.<\/p>\n

\u00ab…to be the object of contempt or patronizing tolerance on the part of the proud colonizer is one of the most traumatic experience that a individual or society can suffer…\u00bb,<\/em> Isaiah Berlin.<\/p>\n

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The subjects I have captured in art exemplify efforts of people surviving and their exceptional will to change the humiliating heritage of human bondage.<\/p>\n

I sense in many a tolerance of their fellow human beings and a willingness to reach out. This tolerance is a young fragile plant now sprouting in the rainforest plantation, displaying constructive civil interactions.<\/p>\n

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Paul Woei<\/p>\n

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Short Resume<\/p>\n

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Personal Details:<\/p>\n

Name: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Paulus L. K. Woei A Tsoi (Artist Name: Paul Woei)<\/p>\n

Place of Birth: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Paramaribo<\/p>\n

Date of Birth: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0May 31, 1938<\/p>\n

Residence: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Rozenbergstraat 4<\/p>\n

Paramaribo<\/p>\n

Phone:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (597) 464180<\/p>\n

Cel.: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0(597) 85-64-319<\/p>\n

e-mail:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 artpaulwoei@yahoo.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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1948\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My family visited China where I came in contact with an artist Ng who taught me my first art lesson.<\/p>\n

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1952\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Returned to Suriname and completed St Paulus RK high school in 1956<\/p>\n

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1957 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Study art in Amsterdam, Holland.<\/p>\n

Koninklijke Academie Den Haag and Normaalschool ( later renamed Rietveld Academie) in Amsterdam.<\/p>\n

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1958-1966\u00a0\u00a0 until my return to Suriname in 1966, participated with various exhibitions in Amsterdam, Delft, Leiden.<\/p>\n

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1966\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I convinced myself that I should leave behind the \u201cmodern\u201d perception of life and go back to the magnificent rainforests in South America, to the basic life of expos\u00e9. The instinct to survive and adaptation of man to the rainforest and plantations, has been my best inspiration source. Went along with expedition to paint in the rainforest and villages of the indigenous people and Aucan, Saramacca tribes.<\/p>\n

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1966\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Together with other artists, we founded the first Art Academy in Suriname to facilitate the talented.<\/p>\n

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1967 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Group exhibition of Surinamese artist in Amsterdam and other cities in Holland.<\/p>\n

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1971-1998 Taught Art expression until retiring at a junior college \u201cAtheneum\u201d, Paramaribo-Suriname<\/p>\n

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1975\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I was awarded an Honorable Mention in Denver, Colorado for my mahogany sculpture named: Human Sacrifice\u201d. This sculpture was also part of a sculpture exhibition in New York City.<\/p>\n

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1981\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 At request of the Department of Cultural Affairs, I established an \u201cArt Expression Department\u201d for the very young. These children, saddled with the burden of a colonial heritage, could at school freely express themselves. Selected drawings were often sent to international children exhibitions in Japan, Taiwan, India, China, USA and other countries. Many of the children won international awards and were an inspiration to all. This school was later renamed by me after a Dutch lady in honor of her pioneering work in Suriname \u2013 \u201c Nola Hatterman Instituut\u201d.<\/p>\n

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1996\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Group artist exhibition in Het Stedelijk museum in Amsterdam.<\/p>\n

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1999\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I compiled a video autobiography by using my file photos, paintings, sculptures and video materials which I have accumulated over many years. This unique biography reveals the wonders of the rainforest, the ceremonies of the indigenous people (rarely performed) and my resulting paintings and sculptures of these subjects. This documentary captures the imaginations of the audience and surprisingly became acollectors item. A second video, documenting the process of bronze casting, was released one year later.By invitation from Changchun City, China, I modeled the sculpture \u201cThe innocense\u201d, in 2003. This 2 meter bronze sculpture is no won permanente display in Changchun Sculpture National Park together with 300 international sculptures.<\/p>\n

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