Artist Biography
George Camille was born on the island of Mahe in 1963 and spent his childhood on the island of La Digue. Both are principal islands of the Seychelles.
Initially self taught, George later developed his eclectic yet distinctive style through more formal tuition, including periods of study at Blackheath College of Art and Goldsmiths College, both in London.
A number of important collaborative friendships with fellow artists also helped to focus Camille’s direction as an artist, most notably his work with ‘Tonga Bill’ Fehoko, the Martinique artist Habdaphai and the French artist Mikel Chaussepied, who introduced Camille to the techniques of etching; today a key element in the artist’s work.
In 1987 George established Sunstroke Studios in Seychelles and, in so doing, provided and outlet for his design and craft activities alongside his original fine art work. This successful initiative was followed in 1997 by the restoration of an old wooden colonial house, Kaz Zanana, which George opened as his first gallery in the Seychelles. This was followed in 2004 by the opening of the George Camille Gallery at Anse Gaulette on the island of La Digue .
Today George’s work continues to be show-cased in both galleries, as well as Sunstroke Studio outlets on Mahe and La Digue. Georges work is also much sought after for exhibitions and sale in independent galleries and gallery spaces in selected hotels.
George has staged numerous ‘one man’ and group shows in Seychelles, Mauritius, Martinique, Reunion, Germany, China and Mali. He also staged major exhibitions of new work in Beijing and represented Seychelles three times at the Venice Biennale. George has original work in numerous private collections worldwide, and has completed a significant number of commissions, private, public and corporate.
George continues to produce prolifically, incorporating a wide range of materials and processes in the development and articulation of his personal visual mythology. His most recent work has incorporated elements of ‘objet trouve’ (found objects) into mixed media work which sees George experimenting with metal, resin, relief work and, as ever, painting and drawing.
George Camille is married, with three children, and lives and works on the islands of Mahe and La Digue.
Artist Statement
My work probably asks more questions than it answers; I investigate, explore and respond to life cycles and processes through my art, interrogating my modest place within the scheme of things and in so doing I strive to deepen my personal connection with the forces prevalent in my environment.
As an artist, print maker and sculptor, I am perpetually experimenting with new material and techniques in my creative process. Acid bite etchings have become the medium for my more detailed and figurative work. Owning my own press has allowed me to experiment with a range of intaglio print techniques, combining a variety of material and processes to create images which have shaped the development and presentation of my personal visual alphabet.
My heavily textured collaged compositions, made from glued pieces of cut and ripped canvas and painted in acrylic to depict traditional Creole scenes sceneries, transport the viewer on an intense journey into the physical and evocative mythology of the Seychelles islands.
Since I was born and continue to live and work in Seychelles it is the Indian Ocean environment that permeates, drives and informs everything that I do. I live next to the ocean and its sounds, colours, smells and beauty are represented through form and movement in my work. The ideas are, as I grow older, increasingly refined, simpler, yet I hope stronger.
I like my work to possess energy and inspire dialogue. I hope that people who see my work will be drawn to empathize as well as intuit.
I believe that an artist has a responsibility to send home truthful and entertaining reports from the varied topographies visited on life’s journey. I hope that my own are interesting as well as authentic, accessible as well as informative and that through them can be seen not only Seychelles in all its astonishing beauty, but also traces of all of us who pass across it.
Art Exhibitions
Selected Recent Solo Exhibitions:
2023 – “Seychelles My Soul” . Italy, Rome
2023 – ‘Si Loin, Si Proche’ exhibition of Segou’ Art 2023. Contemporary Art Fair of Mali, Segou, Mali
2022 – “A Fisherman’s Tale”. side exhibition of Seychelles Biennale, Kaz Zanana Art Gallery, Victoria
2021 – “Drift Apart Come Together”. Kaz Zanana Art Gallery, Victoria, Seychelles
2019 – 58th International Biennale di Venezia, Seychelles Pavilion, Venice, Italy
2019 – ‘Drift’ exhibition of Segou’ Art 2019. Contemporary Art Fair of Mali, Segou, Mali
2016 – Segou’ Art 2016. Contemporary Art Fair of Mali, Segou, Mali
2015 – “ 56th International Biennale di Venezia”. Seychelles Pavilion, Venice, Italy
2011 – “Coco de Mer”. Palmen Garten, Frankfurt, Germany
2010 – “Images of Seychelles”. IBF Exhibition Centre, Hannover, Germany
2008 – “Volets d’une ile a L’autre”. Kephren Gallery, St Pierre, Reunion
2007 – “Volets d’une ile a L’autre”. Kaz Zanana Art Gallery, Victoria, Seychelles
2006 – “A Seychelles Journey”. Exhibition of etchings and embossed copper at Red T Gallery, Beijing
2005 – “An Everyday Journey”. Exhibition of paintings and assemblages. Fregate Island, Seychelles
2005 – “An Everyday Journey”. Exhibition of paintings and assemblages. Kaz Zanana, Seychelles.
2004 – “Les Murmures Du Gecko”. Exhibition of recent paintings and etchings, L’Alliance Française, Port Louis, Mauritius
2004 – “The View from Within”. Exhibition of paintings and embossed copper for Seychelles Arts Festival. National Art Gallery, Seychelles.
2003 – “La Foli Natir”. Exhibition of paintings and embossed copper for Seychelles Arts Festival, National Art Gallery, Victoria, Seychelles
2001 – “Impressed”. Exhibition of embossed copper and paintings. Kephren Gallery, St Pierre, Reunion.
2001 – “Impressed”. Exhibition of etchings and paintings, Kaz Zanana Art Gallery, Victoria, Seychelles
2001 – “Paintings of Seychelles ”. Jardin Des Arts Gallery, St. Denis, Reunion
1999 – “En Leokri Kouler”. Kaz Zanana Art Gallery, Victoria, Seychelles
1996 – Solo Exhibition for opening of Kaz Zanana Art Gallery, Victoria, Seychelles
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2022 – AfriKin Art – Contemporary African Art Fair Miami Art Week, Miami, U.S
2022 – ‘ANSANM & ZESUMMEN’ duo exhibition with artist Sumo, Kaz Zanana Gallery, Seychelles
2022 – ‘Lekel ou idantite kreol’ exhibition of Creole Festival, National Museum of History, Seychelles
2022 – 14th Dakar Biennale, Dakar Senegal
2022 – 9th Beijing International Art Biennale, Beijing, China
2021 – “Aligned by the Sun (through the revolution)”. seven-channel video installation created specifically for the Ackland Art Museum, US
2020 – 17th Asian, African and Mediterranean International Modern Art Exhibition, China
2019 – 8th Beijing International Art Biennale, Beijing, China
2019 – Mauritius International Art Fair 2019, Mauritius
2018 – Vannswet – Collective Exhibition by Seychellois artists, Eden Art Gallery, Seychelles.
2017 – “White Light White Heat” Biennale Seychelles, Victoria, Seychelles
2017 – “African Culture Fund Exhibition ”. La Rotondes des Arts, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
2017 – “57th International Biennale di Venezia ”. Seychelles Pavilion, Venice, Italy
2017 – “Message in a Bottle ”. Collective Exhibition by Seychellois and visiting African artists, Eden Art Gallery, Seychelles
2015 – “Ars et Natura ”. Sala Margana, Piazza Venezia, Rome
2014 – “Seychelles Art ”. L’Bernerie en Retz, France
2014 – Travelling Group Exhibition of Seychellois art in Russia
2013 – “Tablo lo Lekwater ”. Exhibition for Creole Festival, Kaz Zanana, Victoria, Seychelles
2012 – “ Trait d’union ”. Exhibition in memory of sculptor Bill Fehoko, St Denis, Reunion
2011 – “Fanm”. Exhibition with Martin Kennedy and Mirza Moric, Kaz Zanana Gallery, Victoria, Seychelles
2010 – Thapong Visual Art Centre – Gaberone, Botswana
2009 – Gallery Sud – Zurich, Switzerland
2008 – Exhibition By Seychellois Artists, Bruxelle, Belgium and Cercle Münster, Luxemburg
2007 – “ InsulArt, pARTage ”.Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Moka, Mauritius
2005 – “2nd Triennale of Contemporary Art”. Port Louis, Mauritius.
2002 – “Le Jardin des Arts”. St Denis, Reunion.
2000 – “Le Monde Creole”. Martinique.
1999 – “Images of Seychelles”. Kiron Galleries, Paris, France.
1998 – “My Island”. Seychelles High Commission, London, UK.
1997 – “Horizontal”. L’Alliance Francais, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
1996 – “12 Artists Group Exhibition ”. National Art Gallery, Victoria, Seychelles
1996/1994/1992 – “Seychelles Biennial ”. L’Carnegie Hall, Victoria, Seychelles
1995 – “Festival Kreol Exhibition ”. National Gallery, Victoria, Seychelles
1993 – “Festival Kreol Exhibition ”. L’Carnegie Hall, Victoria, Seychelles
1993 – “Creole Impressions ”. L’Plantation Club Hotel, Baie Lazare
