arts

file photo by Eric Jackson

Jorge Dunn: Amigo de Panama

by Annie Bedard

Jorge Dunn is an authentic Panamanian sidewallk artist. His work is purely Panama. Anyone who has strolled past the Farmacia Arrocha directly across from the Multi Plaza, knows what that means. That means you have strolled past the Jorge Dunn Art Gallery.

An array of a dozen or so delightful paintings are pasted up with masking tape to the slick walls of the Farmacia building. It is no doubt a head turner. You cannot help but look, nod, smile and pause. His colorfull character style drew me to stop- and take a closer look.

Colorfully and whimscially he captures the heart and soul of Panama. His work portays Panama past and present.

He speaks English so we had a small chat and agreed on a price and I walked away with two unframed acrylic Jorge Dunn paintings.

That was two months ago. Meanwhile, I was trying to figure out what to do with our large blank walled game room. "I know, I'll go back and get a couple more Jorge Dunn works."

This time with pen in hand because I wanted to know more about this delightful local sidewalk artist.

Well, Jorge Dunn was born May 17th 1924. He has been painting since he was 11 years old. Wait a minute. Let me do the math here: That was 1935 so he has been painting for 71 and he is 82 years old now.

Growing up here in Panama City, there were five girls and four boys in his family. He spoke proudly of his brother Eugenio. Eugenio Dunn was also an artist.

He died some years back.

His father was a shoe designer for a shoe manufacturing company here in Panama City. So there seemed to be a flow of creativity scattered throughout his life.

Another passion of Jorge's is singing. He has a gorgeous voice. He broke out into a brief rendition of A VA MARIA for me. I could not help but imagine that voice echoing in a Catholic Cathedral on Christmas Eve. He did tell me: "That song would bring tears to the eyes of the ladies everytime".

"Oh yes, I lived to sing back then. I sang in the Canal Zone Officer's Club" (cocktail lounge circa 1950's). "Ah Perry Como --- I loved singing like Perry Como. Oh yes, he was my favorite."

He laughed and with a sparkle in his eye at the reminence of it, he waved his hand, casting away the past. "But that was 50 years ago. I don't sing anymore, I paint".

He paints with a passion. He loves what he does. His work has been shown at art galleries, art shows, banks; the latter which he finds cumbersome: "Too much paperwork for me" and he waves his hand casting the bothersome concept away. "I've been painting here at the Farmacia for 27 years now. I live with my grandson. I just want to paint and sell enough to eat and help pay our expenses."

His larger pieces, say 18X24, go for $35, a 16X20 for $25 and less for others. These can easily be bartered down. But why?

I saw his work online for $225 --- nicely double matted and framed mind you. Now, to have the same done at the frame shop was over $100. Or you can find at any department store a framed print, nicely double matted with glass for a lot less and slip Jorge's painting in as a replacement.

I was able to afford four more paintings. Six of Jorge's paintings adorn the walls of our game room. I call it: THE JORGE DUNN ROOM.

While he is still duitfully posted outside the Farmacia Arrocha, I highly recommend to stop by and invest in at least one of his paintings.

And please do tell him: "Annie said Hi" for me.

Jorge Dunn es mi amigo now.

Then again, Jorge Dunn es: AMIGO DE PANAMA

The author is a retired winemaker from Sonoma, California who has been living in Veracruz since earlier this year

Also in this section:
Jorge Dunn
Gallery & Museum Guide
Panama, abstractly viewed