“Visual arts is dying in Guyana... I wish I never came back home.” - Master sculptor, Lionel Simon

(Kaieteur News) – Sitting in a quiet room surrounded by hand-carved mahogany, master sculptor Lionel Aubrey Simon speaks with a raw, aching honesty. Each line etched into his sculptures represents decades of passion, but today, his hands tell a heavier story, one of exhaustion, systemic neglect, and the painful quiet of an art form slowly slipping away.

Years ago, in Antigua, Simon lived a life steeped in dignity. His craft was respected, his talents sought after by high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Gaston Browne. Overseas, he was an artist with a livelihood, given direct access to raw materials and celebrated for his gifts. But driven by a deep love for his roots, he returned to Guyana during the pandemic.

Instead of a welcome, he met a wall of indifference.