Robert Hill
Artist of the World
By: Nathan Lee
Robert Hill
Robert Hill is a man who wears who he is on every canvas that he paints. His work although beautiful, requires a certain level of scrutiny to be fully appreciated and understood. Hill is a complex well traveled man and his carefully crafted art captures his multicultural slant. Having lived all over the world, Robert Hill has accumulated an insight into many different cultures. He is an African American Man that is fluent in Dutch and he has received international critical praise for his masterful works. Hill has been in a multitude of exhibitions and has been the recipient of many notable national honors and awards.
“My paintings are just as much the progeny of Hindu miniatures, Gauguin, the Italian Renaissance, Japanese Ukiyo-e prints and Russian icon paintings as they are the seeds of Romare Bearden and black Folk art,” explained Hill.
In his Songo series, Hill describes his work as meditative narratives on canvas. These pieces conjure ideas of longing, grief, and the bittersweet consequences of love.
“The impetus of this series of paintings, titled with the Italian word for dreams, is the emotive subconscious. I gather design elements from the world’s myriad forms of cultural graphic expression, from African textiles, Mexican ritual motifs to Asian calligraphy.
From a place of creativity, I instinctively abstract these elements through collage, acrylic media and gloss which serve as the foundation into which I inject figurative elements as a means to convey moods or stories without words. It is perhaps an antiquated notion in our post-modern environment, but I strive to create an object of beauty. Equally, I strive to open a window to a means of meditation that is timeless. I’m painting poetry that draws as much from my inner vision as from my outward perception.”
The best way to describe Hill’s work is an amalgam of many different cultures. When you initially see his work, it is easy to categorize it as African influenced art. This no doubt comes from the dark skinned figures that populate much of his work. Upon closer inspection, one sees references to other cultures and races as well as social and political commentary. He uses collaged pieces of paper with sometimes obscure cryptic information in his work.
Many of the figures have skin composed completely of individual pieces meticulously adhered and painted onto the canvas. It is not uncommon to see an apparently African figure adorned with Chinese characters and symbols or with socially aware references. It is in this way that Robert Hill speaks to many different cultures at the same time. It is interesting to note how Hill walks the fine line between innovation and familiarity. His work is never contrived or filled with tired themes. Many artists swap a consistent vision for boring repetition. Hill shows the mark of a seasoned visual artist by having a consistent but never complacent vision
Although Hill is known mainly known for his paintings, sculpture is also a part of his creative repertoire. He created a sweeping sculptural installation dedicated to the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. He has been commissioned to paint frescoes for public gardens in the Netherlands and has illustrated several children’s books, winning awards from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Hills work was featured in the high profile exhibition SKIN 2007 earlier this year, and his work for that show commented on how African American men have been perceived throughout history. His work in the National Black Arts Festival would lead to a nationwide interview on Black Entertainment Television.
Robert Hill is also a founding member of Inclusion in Art, an organization dedicated to connecting visual artists of color to resources to assist them in their artistic endeavors.
His work can be seen in the prominent JRB Gallery as part of their permanent collection in Oklahoma’s Paseo Arts District.
For more information about Robert Hill visit his page at:
www.myspace.com/skiphillart
