Paul Lewin is a painter, born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1973. He moved to the U.S. with my family in 1977 . From a very young age Paul loved listening to his father’s stories of the old country in Jamaica. His father also taught him a lot about ancient societies, science, and history. His childhood home was filled with paintings, sculptures, and artefacts of many different cultures from around the world.
His series Behind the Wooden Mask is inspired by our connection and interaction with the natural and the spiritual. In many cultures of Africa and the African diaspora, ceremonial masks are sacred portals to the surrounding spirit world. Masks are used in many social, spiritual, and religious ceremonies. In these events, it is said that the one who wears the mask becomes possessed by it’s spirit. They are transformed into a sort of medium, allowing for dialogue between the spirits, the community, the ancestors, and the natural world. Each piece attempts to blur the lines between our world and that of the world of the spirits.
Behind the wooden mask we go within, to the eternal. And we go home.
View more of Paul’s work here: paullewinart.com
