Artist Statement:
“Our True Legacy” Paintings by Helen Wilson:
“Our True Legacy” is a series of powerful provocative oil paintings by the Artist Helen Wilson. The paintings are a study of extra ordinary people that have contributed to their community in a way that has resulted in positive change. Helen spent many years identifying the right people for this exhibition and preferred to rely on word of mouth instead of the more orthodox, and out of date selective route for traditional portraiture.
The people Helen painted are African and African Caribbean heritage or are connected in some way. They each command strength beauty courage and a strong sense of pride and integrity, the true honourable people of our collective communities they are also, our true legacy.
“Our Legacy” highlights the need to support each other more, especially the people within our communities that are raising awareness of racism, ethnic profiling and the criminalising of innocent black men as well as the unspoken hero.
“Where are our leaders? I have watched the media, the police, local and National government, character assassinate our leaders time and time again, and then present us with substitute “chosen” leaders who seem more intent with posturing and playing the political game to win brownie points for their own, and not the communities needs.”
Helen has responded by selecting people that are not after the glory and gratification of receiving awards, attending the right dinner parties; they have quietly drawn attention to important causes or helped others within their community to achieve their best. In some cases the murder of a loved one or a brutal attack of a family member has forced the subject to change their life forever. Helen believes that each person possesses the ability to become a true leader.
This exhibition hopes to readdress what is needed to be a leader. All the people in the exhibition were ordinary people that became extraordinary in their own way.
Helen demonstrates the type of integrity and social-political awareness that many artists from the art world, lack today. “I want our children to be able to walk into a Gallery/Museum and be able to identify in a positive way, with the paintings being displayed and to walk a way with a sense of pride”
