Guyanese painter Aubrey Williams (1926-1990) returns to his homeland on a âjourney to the source of his inspirationâ in this vivid Arts Council documentary, filmed towards the end of his life. The title comes from the indigenous Arawak word âtimehriâ - 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, Guyana's capital, where Williams stops off to restore an earlier mural. The film offers a rare insight into life beyond Georgetown, what Williams calls âthe real Guyana.â 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 ill-treatment 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.
