Mark of the Hand

Guyanese painter Aubrey Williams 19261990 returns to his homeland on a journey to the source of his inspiration in this vivid Arts Council documentary filmed towards the end of his life The title comes from the indigenous Arawak word timehri the mark of the hand of man which Williams equates to art itself Timehri was also then the name of the international airport at Georgetown Guyanas capital where Williams stops off to restore an earlier mural The film offers a rare insight into life beyond Georgetown what Williams calls the real Guyana Before moving to England in 1952 he had been sent to work on a sugar plantation in the jungle this is his first chance to revisit the region and the Warao Indians formative influences on his work in four decades Challenging the illtreatment of indigenous Guyanese Williams explored the potential of art to change attitudes By venturing beyond his British studio this film puts his work into vibrant context