Henry Soekarman Kartotaroeno, better known as Soeka presents to the public an art form which not many contemporary artists in Suriname presently employ. Black and white life like portraits done in conté on paper and oils on canvas, are without a doubt the specialty of this unpretentious but highly skilled artist. Special passions of Soeka are the expressive faces of the Surinamese people of African descent. The artist is not interested solely in creating a realistic image of the particular person in his portraits, but is obsessed with capturing the animated expressions of his chosen subject. Although the artist did not complete his education at the Nola Hatterman Institute, this period was largely responsible for stimulating the interest and determination to further develop his artistic talent. As a largely “self made” artist the level of skill and technical expertise exhibited by Soeka are quite remarkable. Most admirers easily make the mistake of thinking that the portraits done in oil are done with charcoal, but the artist handles his brush and his oils with tremendous ease and skill and has the ability to instantly create the effect he desires. The same is true for his work in conté and whatever material Soeka chooses to use the depth and emotional quality of the work always make a powerful statement. Real lives, real people and the story told by a face or posture, that is what art by Soeka is all about!
