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Jhunry Udenhout is a young Surinamese sculptor who in his relatively young art career has managed to make quite an impression on the Surinamese art world. The maturity and refined quality of his work is even more surprising because his skill has not been acquired from any official art education but from an innate sense and feel for the three dimensional form and the undeniable passion to create. With the famous Surinamese sculptor Armand Masé being his uncle, it could also be said that genetics have definitely played a role in the talent of Jhunry Udenhout.
As a young man newly enrolled at the SPI (Suriname Institute for educational science), Jhunry discovered his passion for sculpting during arts and crafts lessons where he was given simple assignments with wood and clay. Fascinated, he started taking clay home and was soon spending every waking moment creating sculptures. He began experimenting with other materials such as the wood from apple trees, driftwood and mahogany and his passion for sculpting became an obsession.
His career as a sculptor finally took off after his first exhibition in 1993, when his father encouraged him to present his ever growing and quite impressive collection of work to the public. Taking to heart all the advice as well as the criticism received during this exhibition, Jhunry made a point of perfecting his skills by studying several textbooks on art, human anatomy and any other written material pertaining to his discipline. He broadened his exposure to art by exploring the local art scene and by paying more attention to the work of his peers.
Sculptures by Jhunry Udenhout soon became highly recognizable for their smooth and continuous lines and great attention for detail. The artist has found his own unique style and with the help of an improvised self made set of tools, has truly mastered the art of fine wood sculpting. His beautiful mahogany sculptures are perfectly balanced, intricate works of three dimensional art. The artist gets his inspiration from subjects pertaining to the socio economic situation in the country, relevant historical events and sometimes it is the piece of wood itself which suggests the next subject. He sketches the basic concept straight onto the wood and takes it from there.
Some well known pieces from the artist deal with the subject of slavery often in the form of anatomically fascinating male slave figures in different positions. Also popular are the more abstract pieces consisting of complex and intricate shapes, smoothly interwoven into one apparently continuous curvaceous, beautifully sculpted piece of art.
At this point in his art career, Jhunry Udenhout has successfully claimed his own position in the Surinamese art world as a renowned artist, and he uses this position and his outstanding skill to give voice to his opinion of past and present political and socio economic events and subjects in Suriname.
Working experience:
Sculptor
Exhibitions:
2009 Museum Fort Nieuw Amsterdam, Suriname
2009 Exhibition ABKS, IVCC, Suriname
2008 Fernades goes Art with Readytex Art Gallery,Suriname
2008 NK '08, National Art Fair, Suriname
2007 “Synergy” Venezuelan Institute for Art and Culture, Suriname
2006 “Kunst, Koffie en een Koekje” Readytex Art Gallery, Suriname
2007 Open House Exhibition, Readytex Art Gallery , Suriname
2005 Expo Makandra Carifesta 9, Trinidad & Tobago
2004 Leiden, Nederland
2003 Coca Cola expo, Atlanta, USA
2003 Carifesta 8, Paramaribo, Suriname
2002 Surifesta 2002, Paramaribo, Suriname
2000 Millenium 2000, Paramaribo, Suriname
1996 Synnemary and Cayenne, French Guyana
1996 Waterfront Festival, Paramaribo, Suriname
1995 Carifesta 6, Trinidad & Tobago
1995 Wan Kofu, Paramaribo, Suriname
1994 Colours, Paramaribo, Suriname
1993 Tamara 4, Paramaribo, Suriname
1992 “Expo Udenhout”, Venezuelan Institute for Art and Culture ,Suriname
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