By Sana Rose, Contributor 
'Untitled I' mixed media on canvas.
AN AURA of futility permeates the works. The heaviness is encouraged by the empty, nondescript spaces in the pictures that are coated somewhat feverishly with sand, dirt and earthy red and brown hues. A subtle sensation, it is not detectable at first glance but rather after some time of looking at Stanford Watson's collection of mixed media paintings currently on view at The Mutual Gallery in New Kingston.
The large and miniature scaled pieces are unswerving in their replication of a semi-abstract hybrid figure resembling a dog and a man. The image is resonant with phallic references due to its totemic flat shape that invades the blank, gestural background by thrusting itself up from the base of the picture plane, stopping just short of the top edge in many instances.
The sand, dirt and paint mix is smeared on to the rectangular format, after which the figure is extracted from the surface. The surfaces vary minimally from work to work but in some pieces, other materials such as rusty metal,
X-rays and burlap are added.
In just over 20 years since his exodus from the Jamaica School of Art (now the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts), Watson has perpetually used this motif. Its consistent use prompts the question, "Why?"
The 1980s in Jamaica was a time of violent political upheavals and as a youngster just out of art school, Watson witnessed "the senseless killing of a hapless animal by a policeman". The image remained with him and led to the symbol of the malnourished dog, a subordinate creature in the grand social and political sphere. His continued use of the image may lie in the fact that violence has continued to plague present-day living on the island and that the distrust of the local police force is rampant. The Braeton Seven saga represented Braeton 7 (Gugulato) is still a fresh and horrid episode in our minds.
The artist identifies with the 'African Vanguard' group consisting of fellow art school classmates, Omari Ra and K. Khalfani Ra and a later generation of graduates taught by them Akanni Ankhamun, Khepera Oluyia Hatsheptwa and Oya Tyehimba. The members share a Black Nationalist philosophy linked to the socio-political issues of the collective consciousness of the black race. They claim as their chief emblem, the Akoben sign belonging to the Akan-speaking peoples of Southern Ghana, Africa. It is an Adinkra symbol or war horn used to sound a battle cry; a collective call to arms. There is an overt aggression in their works with respect to this battle cry. In addition, their palette mainly consists of the colours red, green, blue and of course, black often combined with other materials and objects.
In 2000, the group mounted an exhibition at the same gallery and interestingly, Watson's works appeared to be the least aggressive with their seemingly ineffectual dog-man icon, presented in profile on its hind legs, looking upwards possibly begging or awaiting petting. Claiming red as his main hue, Watson creates a pervasive bleeding effect on canvas, paper and board as the dog-man is fragmented by red slash marks and is overwhelmed by the red space. The subject's posture gives the impression of a vulnerable, yet pathetic figure.
Unlike his fellow 'Vanguardians', he does not sound a direct battle cry but mainly stages scenes of this subordinate dog-man, evoking a subdued call.
In My Ascension, the dog character gives way to the man, who, in three stages makes the transition from a frown to a wide-eyed, open-mouthed expression could be talking or crying or shouting; whatever the expression, the silence has been broken.
Watson's pieces are subtle critiques/reflections of his perception of the black race. The serial nature of the works denotes emphasis and linkages but seem to weaken in resolve when one considers the total body of the work presented. The subtlety of the conceptual framework and its impact is sometimes stalled by the sameness of the treatment of the image.
The use of a secondary material - x-rays - in two panels of Untitled IV; and the relatively substantial use of other colours other than red in Untitled III and Fragmented Diasporal Thought I & II, mildly attempt to break the monotony.
The artist states that, "Every piece I have ever produced is akin to having a conversation, a conversation in which I verbalise my visions, my feelings and my knowledge." He goes on to say that he is developing a (visual/conceptual) vocabulary in which new words are added from time to time. This is confirmed by the fact that we still sense, that there is more to be conveyed and released from Watson's fragmented diasporal thoughts that anticipate continuity and evolution of the idea. However, the development may be too measured, as the subtleties of the conceptual pulse of the work are growing much too faint. The exhibition continues until October 15.
