“Night of the Living Dead” filmmaker George A. Romero’s final work is now on display through May 31 at Jack Rutberg Fine Arts gallery in Pasadena, CA, but, SURPRISE! It’s not a film. Instead, Romero has left behind a poignant short story titled “Liberator.” It has gone unpublished since the horror maestro’s death in 2017, but can now be read and viewed in all its glory.
The work is part of an exhibition of paintings, etchings, and sculptures titled “George Nama: 60 Years of Selected Works.” Nama is a New York artist and lifelong friend of Romero’s. His work resides in major museum collections across the globe including the Smithsonian Institution, National Japanese Collection, and Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The two never got the chance to collaborate during their careers, so later in life, Romero wrote “Liberator” specifically for Nama to design art work around.
The short story was inspired by the ancient folkloric legend of the Golem, an anthropomorphic being usually made from clay or mud, brought to life by magical means to serve its creator. It’s origins are found in early Judaism, but it has been featured in many different cultures throughout history. Nama has worked on similar project with other close artistic companions including Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet Laureate Charles Simic, pianist and writer/poet Alfred Brendel, and the 20th Century French poet and art historian Yves Bonnefoy.
Romero’s “Liberator” is accompanied by a series of hand-colored etchings from Nama, of which only 45 examples were produced. The ultimate goal of this collaboration was to inspire a stage performance. Though this has gone unrealized, Nama still wishes for it to one day be brought to life.
In a statement shared by Jack Rutberg Fine Arts gallery, Nama said, “‘Liberator’ was a challenge for me on many levels. George Romero wrote the story specifically for our endeavor. After my initial reading, I was immediately drawn to the atmosphere. It was a performance in a changing landscape. Elements of theater, opera, ballet, or film seem to be apparent in this narrative of a folkloric legend of the ‘Golem.’ The tale is rich in imagery and we are witness to this choreographed drama as it unfolds. My task was to make a transition from viewer to participant and try to find that vein. It was through the atmosphere that I could see clearly to enter the mysterious garden in the text. It was there I could create my own vision.”
“George Nama: 60 Years of Selected Works” runs through May 31, 2025 at Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, 600 South Lake Ave #102, Pasadena, CA 91106. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday from 10:00am to 6:00pm & Saturday 10:00am to 5:00pm. For more information, visit jackrutbergfinearts.com, email [email protected], or call (323) 938-5222.
