Peruvian artist Simeon Gonzales Ayquipa

My young Peruvian artist friend from Cusco have lately been trying to get into my good books again. First a new year greetings by email. Last week two faxes, one announcing his new exhibition in Spain, and the second one saying " sorry for what happened" !

Well, it's still a cooling-off period for me and I wish him all the best with his venture in Spain. I just hope he does not get into another situation like he did in 2001 when after a year of hard work in Spain churning out what I consider his best works to date, he came back with a dud USD 45,000 cheque!

My young friend is really extremely talented as you can see from his paintings here. He has all the making of a great artist (if he isn't already one). But like most artists with sad, tragic stories, he has a mind very much his own and it is difficult to convince him what I think is the right course.

I believe I have done my part well enough, spending a lot of time on his behalf. I have over the years since our meeting in 2001 promoted his works rather extensively within my circle of friends and colleagues. I did one very successful major exhibition of his works in Kuala Lumpur in 2004 and two informal ones following that, with his presence at the last one. He made a lot of money from the sales at the exhibitions as well as from private sales courtesy of my contacts. And yet he is constantly without money! Why? Because he spent it all on doing one exhibition after another at his own expense - to build a resume! I told him his resume was long and impressive enough but he was not convinced!

Anyway the last straw was early last year when I had assisted him financially, and even as a reference for his visa, to travel and do an exhibition in Koln, Germany, after which he was supposed to visit me here for a few days. But he quarrelled with the promoter after the exhibition and things went sour. Before that he was very upset with me, sending me nasty emails. All because I sent an email to the promoter inquiring about the exhibition, his visa and the financial arrangement. It took lengthy explanation to convince him that I was only doing that out of concern and in his interest.

After the exhibition, and the quarrel with the promoter and his unfulfilled promise to visit me, he sent me a most insolent email accusing me of being high and mighty and siding with the promoter just because I spoke to the man, who of course had a barrel of complaints about my young friend.

Well, enough was enough. I wrote him a terse email and told him to move on and not bother me anymore. I had done more than most people were willing to do for him and if that was his way of showing appreciation, adios amigo was really in order. So Simeon, if you are reading this, which I doubt, (anyway he doesn't speak English), cooling-off period is still in effect.

You will be forgiven eventually, but you must first learn what friendship and courtesy are all about!

All paintings are oil on canvas. The two watercolours on paper Simeon and I worked together on. It was his way of imparting his talent on me. It was a very inspiring and happy collaboration and I am very proud of the result! The last painting which he called IL TRITICO was commissioned by my sister-in-law Anita and proudly hangs in her house in Shah Alam.