Culture: "Do As I....." Etana's reveal and what it says about the artist's responsibility

"My music is not my beliefs"

Do As I say, not as I do.

Singer Etana has placed herself in a really uncomfortable position when, on being quizzed by "Entertainment Report" host Anthony Miller, she revealed  that not only does she admire and support polarizing US Presidential candidate Donald Trump, but placed such support above an beyod the populistic lyrics for which she has become known

Her political leanings, whether for US or Jamaican politicians is almost irrelevant. Hilary Clinton is a less-than-ideal 2nd-time contender for the White House, with significant unpacked baggage, but she is not the under-informed fascist that Donald trump clearly is. A Trump win has potentially massive downside for US-Caribbean relations, and for Jamaica in particular.

So Etana's declaration of support for Donald trump, while problematic and even offensive to some, does not, in my view, have the power in itself to seriously diminish her standing as an artist.

The remark uttered by her at the top of this essay is, however, a very different matter.

There are some positions I wish for people to consider

An artist, a creative individual (or group) has a different level of engagement with the society than others. yes, the arts have a business and a professional side to them, moreso in today's world. Yet, with all of that said, the artist and the community are partners in a trust.

Trust. The audience - whether visually or otherwise - have expectations that they want fulfilled, and so too does the artist. The artist may create the work on his/her own, but draws for the community in terms of themes and ideas. Similarly, the community gives its support to the artist by choice, but depends, often unwittingly, on the creator to sow them something of themselves , whether it be uplifting, uncomfortable, but undeniable.

in short, the truth plays a significant role in the dynamic between artist and public.even parodists, Like Weird Al Yankovic and our own Lovindeer, are using the medium to express certain views on topics or figures that are apparently " hot" for the masses - be it losing weight ("Eat It") or the installation of nude statues in a public park ("Happ-iness in de Park"). satire, fable and allegory are all acceptable and important elements in getting certain truths across.

What cannot be acceptable is for the artist to dismiss the positions articulated in her work - the way that Etana has done - because the values espouse are irreconcilable with her political or other choices (religious, etc). it would be one thing for Etana to say that she truly believes trump will effect social justice, and opportunities for upward mobility for all in the US, as unlikely as those developments may seem to the rest of us.

But to regard the sentiments expressed in such songs as "Roots" "Not Afraid" and "Better Tomorrow" as disconnected from her personal beliefs (whether she penned the lyrics or not) simply because her professed support of Donald Trump is incongruous with the values of those songs does a huge disservice to her audience, the worldwide fan base she has built over the course of four albums and many live appearances. Drawn to the poignancy and the general uplift behind such words as "I am not Afraid/ If dem a come/ mek dem come/ Coz I'm protected/ by the Most High One".

Does she no longer hold the above to be true? Did she ever believe it in the first place? is her music career a purely mercenary exercise, driven bey the overarching need to secure her own welfare? Will she sing nay lyric to gain the trust of the public, only to disavow it under the heat and glare of media scrutiny (good job, by the way, Anthony Miller)?

These are questions that she and other creatives need to consider. Does my work -whether solo or collaborative - speak for me? is there room for divergence between what I offer to the public and my inner core?

My answer to this last one is "No" and, from the immediate social media backlash - powerful enough to force the singer into an unconvincing explanation of her position (the cliched "My words were twisted"), its clearly many share that view. The public has expectations of those offering them creations, and the main one, good or bad, is credibility.

Etana, I really think you need a total reset here.....for a better tomorrow.

Culture: "Do As I....." Etana's reveal and what it says about the artist's responsibility

"My music is not my beliefs"

her political leanings, whether for US or Jamaican politicians is almost irrelevant. Hilary Clinton is a less-than-ideal 2nd-time contender for the White House, with significant unpacked baggage, but she is not the under-informed fascist that Donald trump clearly is. A Trump win has potentially massive downside for US-Caribbean relations, and for Jamaica in particular.

So Etana's declaration of support for Donald trump, while problematic and even offensive to some, does not, in my view, have the power in itself to seriously diminish her standing as an artist.

The remark uttered by her at the top of this essay is, however, a very different matter.

There are some positions I wish for people to consider

An artist, a creative individual (or group) has a different level of engagement with the society than others. yes, the arts have a business and a professional side to them, moreso in today's world. Yet, with all of that said, the artist and the community are partners in a trust.

Trust. The audience - whether visually or otherwise - have expectations that they want fulfilled, and so too does the artist. The artist may create the work on his/her own, but draws for the community in terms of themes and ideas. Similarly, the community gives its support to the artist by choice, but depends, often unwittingly, on the creator to sow them something of themselves , whether it be uplifting, uncomfortable, but undeniable.

in short, the truth plays a significant role in the dynamic between artist and public.even parodists, Like Weird Al Yankovic and our own Lovindeer, are using the medium to express certain views on topics or figures that are apparently " hot" for the masses - be it losing weight ("Eat It") or the installation of nude statues in a public park ("Happ-iness in de Park"). satire, fable and allegory are all acceptable and important elements in getting certain truths across.

What cannot be acceptable is for the artist to dismiss the positions articulated in her work - the way that Etana has done - because the values espouse are irreconcilable with her political or other choices (religious, etc). it would be one thing for Etana to say that she truly believes trump will effect social justice, and opportunities for upward mobility for all in the US, as unlikely as those developments may seem to the rest of us.

But to regard the sentiments expressed in such songs as "Roots" "Not Afraid" and "Better Tomorrow" as disconnected from her personal beliefs (whether she penned the lyrics or not) simply because her professed support of Donald Trump is incongruous with the values of those songs does a huge disservice to her audience, the worldwide fan base she has built over the course of four albums and many live appearances. Drawn to the poignancy and the general uplift behind such words as "I am not Afraid/ If dem a come/ mek dem come/ Coz I'm protected/ by the Most High One".

Does she no longer hold the above to be true? Did she ever believe it in the first place? is her music career a purely mercenary exercise, driven bey the overarching need to secure her own welfare? Will she sing nay lyric to gain the trust of the public, only to disavow it under the heat and glare of media scrutiny (good job, by the way, Anthony Miller)?

These are questions that she and other creatives need to consider. Does my work -whether solo or collaborative - speak for me? is there room for divergence between what I offer to the public and my inner core?

My answer to this last one is "No" and, from the immediate social media backlash - powerful enough to force the singer into an unconvincing explanation of her position (the cliched "My words were twisted"), its clearly many share that view. The public has expectations of those offering them creations, and the main one, good or bad, is credibility.

Etana, I really think you need a total reset here.....for a better tomorrow.

Brands: Bimmer's latest Art Car speaks Chinese

 Cao Fei (right), the first Chinese artist commissioned to design a BMW Art Car, shared her inspirations and design

concept for her “rolling sculpture” during a media briefing at her Beijing studio on Thursday, August 25. The 18th BMW Art Car, which is based on the BMW M6 GT3, is set to debut in 2017. Inspired by the speed of racing cars and the tremendous changes of Chinese society over the past decades, Cao Fei will use this installation to interpret the themes of the century such as automated driving and the convergence of virtual worlds and reality.

“The car is key to understanding the changes occurring in contemporary Chinese society. The rapid speed of a car and the rapid changes taking place in Chinese society are my inspirations for creating the 18th BMW Art Car. But my BMW Art Car will adopt an expressive form completely different from previous ones. It will be an interpretation of the century’s theme, namely that we enter ‘a landscape of no man’s land’, e.g. autonomous cars and aircrafts and virtual reality,” said Cao Fei.
Thomas Girst, Head of BMW Group Cultural Engagement, emphasized the heritage and innovations of BMW Art Cars during the media briefing, "Art is a mirror that can reflect the future into today’s reality. The BMW Group believes that sustainability, connectivity and automated driving are the trends for future individual mobility. We are pleased to see that the artists’ ideas for the 18th BMW Art Car regarding future cars, society and humankind is in line with BMW’s vision for future mobility."
Just like previous BMW Art Cars, the 18th vehicle of the collection will participate in a racing event in Asia and furthermore be exhibited in a major museum, making it the latest example of the BMW Group’s endeavor to promote the arts and intercultural communications.
Cao Fei is considered one of the most important young artists to have emerged from China. She has been active in the international art scene for almost two decades with her unique multimedia projects in which she explores the rapid changes occurring in Chinese society today. In November 2015, the jury of the BMW Art Car project, consisting of twelve renowned museum directors and curators, voted unanimously in favor of Cao Fei and American artist John Baldessari to design the 18th and 19th BMW Art Car respectively. The jury is “in particular looking forward as to how she may turn the car into an imaginative part of her parallel universe” as well as present a new perspective to the world.

Absolute creative freedom and full support of the artist
The BMW Group is committed to the pursuit of innovation and creativity. With regards to creating the 18th BMW Art Car, Cao Fei has been guaranteed absolute creative freedom and the full support of BMW.
Cao Fei has also gained a unique insight into the automotive industry. Over the course of the past year, the BMW Group arranged for Cao Fei to have several in-depth meetings with the company’s senior executives. For example, Dr Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, discussed the possibility for Cao to be the first artist to also create the inside of a BMW Art Car; Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President of BMW Group Design, met with her to discuss colors; Karim Habib, Director of BMW Design, spoke to her about 3‑D modeling; and Olaf Kastner, President and CEO of BMW Group, China Region, met with her to discuss BMW’s “Art Factory” in Shenyang.
In addition, BMW gave the Chinese artist a first‑hand taste of speed and state-of-the-art technologies by arranging personalized visits and activities. For instance, the artist marveled at the sight of a number of IT industry experts collaborating with auto designers at the Group’s R&D center. She also was able to see some cutting-edge technologies showcasing human-machine interaction, virtual reality and artificial intelligence, which have already begun to influence the early stages of auto design.

At BMW Group’s plants in Munich and Shenyang, Cao Fei was given a comprehensive overview of the modern auto manufacturing process. She even witnessed the manufacturing of BMW’s latest engine. A young technician from the production line spoke with the artist about the many positive changes the plant has made in his life as well as for the city of Shenyang. The expatriate German experts from the headquarters at Shenyang plant showed Cao Fei how BMW’s “engineer culture” informs every detail of their work.
The communication of these ideas gave Cao Fei a whole new understanding of the design and meaning of cars, which in turn helped her gain a better understanding of the advanced technologies used in the modern car industry. In addition, she gained further insights into the wide range of creative ways informing the shape of future mobility. This interplay of ideas was the source of inspiration for the artist’s many ideas of how to create the 18th BMW Art Car.

History of the BMW Art Cars
The perfect interaction of design, automotive, racing, technology and contemporary art has helped make each BMW Art Car legendary in both the auto industry and the art world. In 1975, together with former Motorsport Director Jochen Neerpasch, the passionate French racecar driver Hervé Poulain came up with the idea to create a canvas on his BMW 3.0 CSL, and commissioned American artist and friend Alexander Calder to paint the first BMW Art Car, thus marking the birth of the collection.
Over the past 41 years, BMW invited seventeen international artists to design BMW models, among them some of the most renowned artists of our time: Alexander Calder (1975), Frank Stella (1976), Roy Lichtenstein (1977), Andy Warhol (1979), Ernst Fuchs (1982), Robert Rauschenberg (1986), Michael Jagamara Nelson (1989), Ken Done (1989), Matazo Kayama (1990), César Manrique (1990), A. R. Penck (1991), Esther Mahlangu (1991), Sandro Chia (1992), David Hockney (1995), Jenny Holzer (1999), Olafur Eliasson (2007), Jeff Koons (2010). Thanks to their creativity, the BMW Art Cars have been a manifestation of minimalism, pop art, art brut and conceptual art – an authentic testimony to the unique trends and cultural ideas of their time.
Moreover, the BMW Art Cars have a long-standing racing tradition, in step with the BMW brand philosophy of “Sheer Driving Pleasure” they combine continuous innovation with speed and art. All BMW Art Cars are “rolling sculptures” built from production models or racecars, and out of those exquisite vehicles so far eight have excelled on the tracks and achieved extraordinary results.

Art: this Sunday, the NG "does Kingston"

The National Gallery of Jamaica’s Last Sundays programme for July 31, 2016, will feature the soft launch of the Kingston – Part 1: The City and Art exhibition and a musical performance by Jason Worton.

Kingston – Part 1: The City and Art is the first instalment of a two-part exhibition series that explores the role of Kingston in the development of Jamaican art and, conversely, the actual and potential role of art in the development of the city of Kingston. Inspired by Kingston’s recent UNESCO designation as a Creative City of Music, the exhibition makes the case that Kingston has been the crucible for many other aspects of Jamaican culture, such as the visual arts. Featuring works of art from the late 17^th century to the present as well as documentary photographs, the exhibition looks at how Jamaica’s turbulent but culturally fertile capital city has generated circumstances and opportunities that have propelled the development of Jamaican art, from the natural resources to the economic activities and institutions. The exhibition also explores how artists have been inspired in their work by the events, personalities and tales that have defined life in the city, starting with the 1692 Port Royal earthquake. Kingston – Part 1: The City and Art is curated by National Gallery Assistant Curator Monique Barnett-Davidson and continues until October 30, 2016.

Sidney McLaren - Scene on Harbour Street (1972), Collection: NGJ

Jason Lee Worton, Jamaican songwriter and musician, spent the last few years touring with Reggae Revival Act Protoje and the Indiggnation, while making a name for himself as an eclectic member of the Reggae scene. Working as a journeyman multi-instrumentalist, he has backed many current and past reggae stars, earning the nickname the “Jamaican Jimi Hendrix.” As the leader of his own band, Worton has appeared at prestigious events such as the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, and been a mainstay at small local venues such as Jamnesia and the Red Bones Blues Cafe. He also plays frequently for yoga studios and events in the growing Jamaican yoga community. He has now returned to focusing on his solo project, many of his songs centring around his “DubRock Reggae” sound. He also delves into acoustic material and eastern inspired meditational music. Worton continues to explore musical styles and instruments, and is an avid surfer, yogi, and farmer/apiarist.

Jason Lee Worton

The National Gallery of Jamaica’s doors will be open from 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday, July 31, 2016 and the programme will start at 1:30 pm, with a curatorial introduction to the exhibition and the musical performance of Jason Worton. As is customary, admission will be free and there will also be free tours of the Kingston exhibition, but contributions to the National Gallery’s donations box are always appreciated. The National Gallery gift and coffee shops will be open for business and proceeds from these ventures help to fund programmes such as Last Sundays and exhibitions such as Kingston.

Literature: Unseen Godfather of the "Latin Lit" boom, dies

Gregory Rabassa, a translator of worldwide influence and esteem who helped introduce Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Julio Cortazar and other Latin American authors to millions of English-language readers, has died.

A longtime professor at Queens College, Rabassa died Monday at a hospice in Branford, Conn. He was 94 and died after a brief illness, according to his daughter, Kate Rabassa Wallen.

Rabassa was an essential gateway to the 1960s Latin American "boom," when such authors as Garcia Marquez, Cortazar and Mario Vargas Llosa became widely known internationally. He worked on the novel that helped start the boom, Cortazar's "Hopscotch," for which Rabassa won a National Book Award for translation. He also worked on the novel which defined the boom, Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude," a monument of 20th century literature.

Garcia Marquez often praised Rabassa, saying he regarded the translation of "Solitude" as a work of art in its own right.

"He's the godfather of us all," Edith Grossman, the acclaimed translator of "Don Quixote" and several Garcia Marquez books, told the Associated Press on Tuesday. "He's the one who introduced Latin-American literature in a serious way to the English-speaking world."

Rabassa's other translations included Garcia Marquez's "The Autumn of the Patriarch," Vargas Llosa's "Conversation in the Cathedral" and Jorge Amado's "Captains of the Sand." In 2001, Rabassa received a lifetime achievement award from the PEN American Center for contributions to Latino literature. He was presented a National Medal of Arts in 2006 for translations which "continue to enhance our cultural understanding and enrich our lives."

Survivors include his second wife, Clementine; daughters Kate Rabassa Wallen and Clara Rabassa; and granddaughters Jennifer and Sarah Wallen.

Culture: Great news from IOJ

...

The Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) has implemented several measures aimed at promoting the island's museums, enabling easier access to, and encouraging greater appreciation of Jamaica's heritage.

These include opening museums to the public on Saturdays, to allow more people to view the large collections of artefacts and art treasures.

Executive Director of the IOJ, Anne Marie Bonner, said that members of the public can now visit the Institute and its museums on Saturdays between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The divisions that are opened are the National Museum Jamaica, the Natural History Museum of Jamaica, and the Jamaica Music Museum.

Current Exhibitions include: Taino, Rastafari, Uprsing: 1865 and its Afterlives (excellent), Curating Music: Building a National Collection and the National Art in School Exhibition. 

Click http://goo.gl/VPp7xf for details.

Brands: BMW goes to Britain for its next Art Journey

British artist Abigail Reynolds (represented by ROKEBY, London) as the next BMW Art Journey winner. The international jury selected her unanimously from a shortlist of three artists whose works were exhibited in the Discoveries sector at this year’s Art Basel show in Hong Kong.

Reynolds’ artistic practice is closely linked to books and libraries. Having studied English Literature at Oxford University, she frequently draws inspiration from literary essays and figures to imagine places and moments from the past, present and future. Given this deep connection to libraries and literature, it is no surprise that Reynolds’ BMW Art Journey project for 2016/17, “The Ruins of Time: Lost Libraries of the Silk Road,” will allow her to connect the complex religious and secular narratives of Europe and Asia and to expand her current interests and working methods through an extensive multi-continent series of visits to historic and fabled repositories of books.

The BMW Art Journey is a global collaboration between Art Basel and BMW, created to recognize and support emerging artists worldwide. This unique award is open to artists who are exhibiting in the Discoveries and Positions sectors in the Hong Kong and Miami Beach shows of Art Basel, respectively. Two judging panels comprised of internationally renowned experts meet first to select a shortlist of three artists from the sector, who are then invited to submit proposals for a journey aimed to further develop their ideas and artistic work. The jury reconvenes to choose a winner from the three proposals. The next round of selections for the BMW Art Journey will take place during Art Basel in Miami Beach.  

BMW is a global partner of Art Basel and has supported Art Basel’s three shows in Basel, Miami Beach and Hong Kong for many years. 

Arts: Jamaican painter Stuns China crowd

Jamaican Artist, Peter Wayne Lewis stunned art enthusiasts during his recent exhibition in Beijing, South Florida Caribbean News reports.

Drawing inspiration from his Jamaican parents and grandparents, the vibrant colours of the Caribbean, jazz, quantum physics, and the spiritual teachings of Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism.

Jamaican artist extraordinaire, Peter Wayne Lewis, was on hand at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) to give Caribbean dignitaries an exclusive tour of his latest works on display in the heart of Beijing’s art district.

“Her Excellency Mrs. Fay Pickersgill lauded Lewis’ work and commended his commitment to promoting Jamaica and the Caribbean. H.E. Chandradath Singh from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; H. E. Paul Gomez of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas; H.E. Denis Antoine of Grenada and H. E. Dr. the Hon. Chelston Brathwaite of Barbados were also in attendance.”

Lewis’ multimillion dollar pieces were shown alongside the works of the late Frederick J. Brown, the first American artist who was granted permission to exhibit at the National Museum of China in 1988. Brown was a friend of Lewis for some 20 years and Lewis felt it his duty to remind Beijing of the historic nature of Brown’s work and his relationship to the city.

Lewis’ effervescent pieces incorporate elements of avant-garde jazz as well as Caribbean, European, African, Chinese and Japanese music. Indicative in his work is a rhythmic element stemming from his passion for music, and his respect for dissonance, space and even silence. Lewis credits Jamaica and the Caribbean as being significant contributors to his work.

“The biggest influence  about living in the Caribbean are the colours, the texture, the light, the people and the conversations you have, all ripple through my body and come out in my work which really reflect my beginnings,” notes Lewis.

This renowned Jamaican artist has exhibited in several of the world’s greatest cities including London, Beijing, Berlin, New York and Tokyo. Lewis remarked that his ability to exhibit in Beijing is by far one of his most important and greatest accomplishments, one than took approximately ten years to achieve.

“As you know, thousands of Hakka people from China migrated to Jamaica in 1854. These people are a part of what makes Jamaica what it is and is a part of who I am … Coming to China is like coming back home … I have been to West Africa, Germany, France and other places, as a human being it is important to travel and experience our collective humanity,” said an enthusiastic Lewis.

The exhibition consists of 15 paintings; however, this is the first time that “Monk Time Suite” and “Buddha Plays Monk” have been on display publicly. Lewis further notes the role each individual plays in his work:

“This is my humble attempt to try and understand what the world is … this is my way of documenting the journey …. This is reality, it is not abstract. The completion [of each piece] starts with you, it is a conversation, it is what we do as human beings, it’s a dialogue.”

Born in Jamaica in 1953, Lewis migrated to the United States as a child in 1962. He spent 30 years in California before taking up his current position as a Professor at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

Arts: the NG goes Digital and Chevaughn Sings at Last Sunday

The National Gallery of Jamaica’s Last Sundays programme for April 24, 2016, will feature the opening of the Digital exhibition and a musical performance by Chevaugn.

Digital, as the title suggests, is an exhibition of digital art, including video, animation, short films, GIFs, digital illustrations, photography, and social and interactive media, and was curated by Veerle Poupeye, O’Neil Lawrence and Monique Barnett-Davidson. The exhibition is based on a call for submissions, which was, for the first time in the National Gallery’s history, extended to the wider Caribbean and its diaspora. Of the 73 submissions received, 39 were selected for the exhibition, which features artists who are based in or from Jamaica, Barbados, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Suriname, Bermuda, Martinique, Guadeloupe, St Martin, the USA, Canada, France, England, Germany and China. The selected artists are: Ewan Atkinson; Sonia Barrett; Jacqueline Bishop; Kimani Beckford; Beverley Bennett; Ruben Cabenda; Larry Chang; Robin Clare; James Cooper; Di-Andre Caprice Davis; Pablo Delano; Cecile Emeke; Luk Gama; Gregory Stennatt; David Gumbs; Versia Harris; Horacio Hospedales; Katherine Kennedy; Prudence Lovell; Kelley-Ann Lindo; Jodie Lyn-Kee-Chow; Olivia McGilchrist; Shane McHugh; Patricia Mohammed; Richard Nattoo; the New Media and Process Class, Edna Manley College; Sharon Norwood; Jik-Reuben Pringle; Gabriel Ramos; Richard Mark Rawlins; Sheena Rose; Danielle Russell; Oneika Russell; Nile Saulter; Henri Tauliaut; Phillip Thomas; Dione Walker; Rodell Warner, Arnaldo James and Darron Clarke; and Ronald Williams. Most of the works in Digital engage actively with the political implications of images and image-making and the exhibition invites reflection about the rapidly changing dynamics of technology, culture, society and visuality since the “digital revolution,” globally and in the Caribbean context.

Chevaughn is a singer/songwriter, who is acclaimed for a velvet smooth tenor infused with rich gospel inflected tones. His unique voice can be heard on Holiday, the chart-topping breakout song of 2009 with Ding Dong, and he was the lead singer of the eclectic roots group C Sharp. January 2014 saw the singer separate from the group to focus on his journey as a solo artist and he launched his debut EP Hopeless Romantic(2014). He has created quite a stir amongst fans across the globe, especially in The Bahamas where fans have taken a particular liking to his song Know Your Friends. His most current songs include So Many Rivers, You Lose and So Let It Be and he is in the process of recording an album with the inimitable Digital B Records and Frankie Music, whilst personally producing a very special project #FromScratch.

The National Gallery of Jamaica’s doors will be open from 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday, April 24 and the exhibition opening and the performance by Chevaugn will start at 1:30 pm. As is customary, admission will be free but contributions to the National Gallery’s donations box are always appreciated. The National Gallery gift and coffee shops will be open for business and proceeds from these ventures help to fund programmes such asLast Sundays and exhibitions such as Digital.

Arts: Mourning Kay

Kay Anderson received a BA in History followed by a Post Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of the West Indies. She also received an MA in Education from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). The highlights in her career as an educator were her tenures as the acting Dean of the Cultural Training Centre(CTC) from 198-1990 (now the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts), Vice Principal of academic affairs and student matters of the Mico University College from 2001-2008 and then as the Charter Principal of the Hydel University in 2009. She more recently taught part-time at the Edna Manley College. She was also the President of the Jamaica Council for Adult Education (JACAE) and was elected Vice President of the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) in Kenya in 2007.

Kay Anderson was the author of several articles on Jamaican art with a focus on Jamaican intuitive artists and she also lectured on the presence of African retentions in Jamaican intuitive art in the United States of America and Cuba. Her research on this topic culminated in the 2011 publishing of Ancestral Whisperings: African Retentions in Jamaican Art, a book which, quoting the late Dr Nadine Scott, “covers the historical, spiritual, anthropological, cultural, and aesthetic contexts of our ancestral heritage.” As an artist, Kay Anderson exhibited work in several of the the National Gallery of Jamaica’s Annual National exhibitions and her work showed an innovative approach to using non-traditional materials.

Her involvement in the arts was not limited to teaching as she was instrumental in securing the meeting venue in the CTC complex for the Poetry Society of Jamaica, during her tenure at the CTC, from its inception in 1989. She was also instrumental in securing the land on which the Edna Manley College’s halls of residence stand, and contributed to the design of the student housing. Her commitment to the arts, students and culture were officially recognised when she was awarded the Order of Distinction from the Jamaican Government for outstanding Community Service and contribution in the field of Education in 2014.

The National Gallery of Jamaica's team extends its condolences to the family, friends, colleagues and many former students of Kay Anderson.

Street Art: Paint It Good; Paint Jamaica puts tough innercity neighbourhood in a new light

A story by Corey Robinson for Jamaica's Gleaner.

It started as an ambitious project to beautify a street in one of the toughest inner-city communities in the Corporate Area. However, the project has morphed into a life-changing, peacekeeping initiative for an area that has seen more than its fair share of bloodshed.

In July 2014, Paint Jamaica, a non-governmental entity, launched a project to transform the visual spaces of crime-torn communities through art.

Its first canvas was an open lot at 41 Fleet Street, in Parade Gardens, better known as 'Southside' in central Kingston.

For more than 50 years, the open lot had served primarily as a community dump, but Paint Jamaica was determined to change that.

What resulted was the largest street art space in the Caribbean, visited by more than 200 persons from 32 countries to date, and a fillip for residents who yearned for a glint of colour in an environment blotted by decades of dullness from gun violence.

Community Park
Another spin-off was the creation of 'Life City', an Afrocentric community park on Fleet Street, which has been a godsend for several youngsters who might have turned to a life of crime.

"Really and truly, the community needed a little colour. And the colour really does enhance and give that positive vibration. Most of what you see over there on the wall is the kids' ideas. The artists asked the kids what they would like to see," said Corey Jackson, one of the mentors at Life City.

"So you will see a lion and a young man with a ball at his feet; that represents that we play ball in there (open lot). And you will see a next portrait of a girl and a boy painting a book with a tree at the top; that is our slogan for agriculture and education, which is what we have been pushing with the children in the community," added Jackson.

The approximately 27 mentors at the Life City headquarters, a cool and equally colourful spot across from the decorated open lot, take responsibility for preserving the art space, as well as tutor children from the community in farming.

In addition, the group has opened a vegan/vegetarian restaurant, which offers breakfast to disadvantaged children and elderly in the community.

They have also staged a series of movie nights featuring cartoons and popcorn, and have started teaching students how to make sandals and other footwear.

In collaboration with the National Art Gallery of Jamaica, the Life City mentors, many of who have adopted the Rastafarian religion, staged the community's first drumming workshop for children last year.

High School Graduates
A number of the mentors are graduates of traditional high schools in the Corporate Area and command the respect of the youngsters and adults in the community.

"It's about wanting to see a change in the community. We youths still hold a vibe and try to come together, but you know, as youths grow and because of certain peer pressures we come under, we tend to do certain things," explained Ikuma Carr, a mentor and vegetarian chef at Life City.

"Over time, is just crime the youth them want to do. Is just war them follow, because them see it as the only way out. But we experience it. I personally experience it, and see that the outcome is ugly, and that is why we are trying to bring about a change for the younger youths dem," said Carr.

Their efforts are appreciated by residents who have welcomed the change in the sometimes volatile community.

"As much as me not into their Rasta thing, I am glad to see what they are doing in the community," said Lorraine Morgan, who has been living in Southside for more than 50 years.

"We think we are setting an example for Southside on Fleet Street. We as a people have to change our whole morals; our way of thinking has to change. If we don't try to change it, it will never change.

"The youths are following a pattern and it has nothing to do with Fleet Street but with the minds of the people," added Morgan.

More Peaceful
She told our news team that while the community is still unpredictable with regard to crime, it is much more peaceful than in former years.

"War has been going on for years and Life City is the best thing right now for the community. They are bringing people from all over the world to Life City. And if outsiders can see it, why can't we insiders see it?" argued Troy Jackson, a resident of Fleet Street.

Wanda Bankowska, a native of Poland, has been on vacation in Jamaica for the past three months and she has decided that there is no better place than Fleet Street for her to visit.

"It's amazing! When people hear that I come to Jamaica and hear where I am, they think I am crazy. But it's like I am growing up again," said Bankowska, who spent much of last Wednesday with her feet propped up on a chair in Life City watching highlights of the recent ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships.

Ebony does "Bling" and the HuffPo takes notice

Priscilla Frank (The Huffington Post) writes about Ebony Patterson’s work and her latest exhibition "Dead Treez," which is on view until April 13, 2016at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. 

Step into a Jamaican dancehall and prepare to encounter peacocking. That is, men, expressing machismo through flamboyance, be it in bright colors, bold patterns or lots of bling. To a more conservative Western audience, displaying an attention to the glittery surface of clothing might be considered traditionally effeminate, but in the contemporary dancehall, individuals channel their conception of masculinity through impeccable and outlandish tastes. According to Jamaican artist Ebony G. Patterson, this new breed of macho fashionistos is not simply the result of a consumerist age. Every gold chain, patterned pantaloon and furry vest is hardly just a fashion statement but an intimation of something more direct: the simple yet implausible desire to be seen.

For her newest exhibition "Dead Treez," now on view at the Museum of Arts and Design, Patterson presents a blinged-out deluge of colors, patterns, sparkles and pop, in the forms of hand-embroidered tapestries, sculptures and a site-specific installations. Incorporating jewelry culled from MAD's permanent collection, Patterson conjures the vibrancy and swagger of an entire bustling nightclub, concentrated into a single, dizzying vision. Nodding to the flamboyant masculinity of Kehinde Wiley, the unapologetic glamor of Mickalene Thomas and the hip hop reverence of Rashaad Newsome, Patterson seduces her viewers into confronting difficult questions about race, gender and identity.

"I grew up in Jamaica so I guess I can say Jamaican dance hall is something that's been with me ever since I was a child," Patterson explained in an interview with The Huffington Post. "As a teenager, having gone to a school that was located within the vicinity of downtown Kingston, a lot of the girls came from varied socioeconomic backgrounds and what connected us was this interest in popular cultural music. This was in the early '90s, which was when dancehall for me was really at its height in terms of its creativity and inventiveness."

Although Patterson bonded with her female classmates over a love of dancehall music, the scene at large was, and remains, predominately male. "Women do participate but they are very male-dominated," Patterson said. "It's interesting because Jamaica is a very matriarchal society, but the dancehalls are patriarchal." In a sense, the dancehall acts as a sort of carnival, where norms are reversed, magnified and put on display. Although dancehall offers an opportunity to present gender on stage, front and center, Patterson believes that gender is always performative, whether in the club, on the street or in the home.

"There is definitely a sense of pageantry and a lot of performance when it comes to masculinity. In Jamaica there is a term that we use [meaning] braggadocious, or bombastic, which was popular in the '90s because of Shaggy," Patterson continued. "There are all of these expectations about what it may or may not mean about what it is to be masculine or feminine and we're trying to negotiate what those thing are. These popular cultural spaces provide an opportunity to expand upon these preconceived ideas and also build a kind of self-identity outside of the larger expectations of what that should be. Popular culture provides an opportunity to demonstrate uniqueness and individuality." [. . .]

The juxtaposition between Patterson's mannequins and tapestries illuminate a dismal realization: black bodies are denied visibility throughout their entire lives, only to have their images propagated thoughtlessly after death.

This sentiment echoes Patterson's 2014 performance "Invisible Presence: Bling Memories," a spectacular procession of coffins decked out with feathers, tassels and sparkles, inspired by the funeral practices common in Jamaican, lower-income communities.

"That tradition grows out of communities who feel neglected," Patterson explained. "There is a popular cultural anthropologist Donne Hope who wrote this essay called 'From the Stage to the Grave' about the bling funeral phenomenon. There's this statement she made that's always been with me, something like, 'You may not have noticed me when I was alive but you'll damn will notice me when I leave.' Taking absolute control of how she wants to be seen, even in death, is such a powerful sentiment." [. . .]

For full article, see http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ebony-patterson-dead-treez_564271c4e4b060377346c5fa

Arts: Beauty, Sadness, Hope and "Techno-Folk" at NG last Sunday

Singer, musicologist Michael Sean Harris

 Each of the national Gallery's Last Sundays presentations is a multifarious delight and this past Sunday was no exception, offering "primo" intellectual stimulation form the successful candidates in this year's Young Talent exhibition series, and the always thrilling Michael Sean Harris with his soulful fusion of traditional Jamaican folk songs and electronic music and signals (with a neat dash of r n' b  stirred in)

the exhibition closes in two weeks, so hurry on if you haven't yet seen the pieces or, if like me, you're anxious for a redux

Arts: KOTE 2015 was bigger, better, more

No, I didn't get to EVERY  event on the Kingston on the Edge (KOTE) 2015 schedule, though I did manage to perform on one (that requires a separate post).
Indeed, it seems that is the objective of multi-venue, multi-event festivals such as KOTE - to satiate and even obliterate the appetite of the most fervent "artophiles"

And in that respect, the Festival, staged for the last eight years with at best minimal (albeit appreciated) corporate and public, as in Government, support, has again succeeded. Over 34 exhibitions and performances, and several combinations of the two at such disparate capital city locations as the Waterfront, and the heights of Jacks Hill (no, I unfortunately didn't get either of those). In between, an almost profligate indulgence of every imaginable style and philosophy, from the quirky and savagely funny explorations of the reclusive David Marchand (another post) to the fashion drawings of Ayanna Dixon (shown here) and many more (I've barely even scratched the photography).

Co-ordinator Enola Williams, who also finds time to run Redbones the Blues Café, the Festival's epicenter and opening night venue, said the aim was to have "art appreciated by as wide a cross-section of persons as possible, to remove barriers."

Not sure what the downtown art/architecture walk (based on the famous 1891 World's Fair) did to attract the ghetto Everyman, but audience participation at the events I caught was both diverse and robust.
And, Williams points out, persons overseas are now paying attention, not least a New Zealand couple who initially had no plans to visit Kingston, based on those persistent (but not always to be dismissed) crime rumours, but who ended up staying past their intended time as they took in all that Kingston's art and culture had to offer over the 10 days.

But, Williams assures, even if KOTE blows up internationally (and locally), the intent and the execution will remain the same. Pack in an amazing array of great art and culture expositions into whichever city venues are receptive and capable, and leave patrons to make their minds up about what to take in.

its a magic formula, and long may it live

localjoe.myorganogold,com

Arts: NG presents "Explorations" this Sunday

The National Gallery of Jamaica is pleased to present its new exhibition, Explorations 3: Seven Women Artists, which opens to the public on Sunday, May 31, 2015, as part of the Last Sundays programme for that day. The guest speaker will be Taynia Shirley and there will be a musical performance by Kelissa.

Explorations 3: Seven Women Artists, the third edition of a series of exhibitions that explore the big themes and issues in Jamaican art, asks the question whether any concept of women’s art is relevant in Jamaica today. This exhibition, which was curated by National Gallery Senior Curator O’Neil Lawrence, features the work of seven mid-career female artists who are based in Jamaica or of Jamaican origin and work in a variety of media: Jasmine Thomas-Girvan, Judith Salmon, Miriam Hinds-Smith, Prudence Lovell, Kereina Chang Fatt, Berette Macaulay and Amy Laskin. Viewers are invited to explore whether there are any commonalities that set these artists’ works and careers apart from those of their male counterparts and whether there is any justification to label them as “women artists.” Each of the featured artists has produced a statement on the subject that will be reproduced in the catalogue and the exhibition text panels. More information on this exhibition can be found on the National Gallery blog.

The poet-scholar Tanya Shirley has been described as “a startlingly bold writer with a particular gift for highlighting the telling detail in her vivid and arresting poems, which variously contain portraits of lovers, colourful eccentrics and family snapshots that capture the elusive magic of childhood memories, and reveal those paradoxical truths which all families strive to conceal.” She was educated at the University of the West Indies, Mona, where she now teaches between time spent elsewhere in the Caribbean and the United States, and she obtained an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. She has published her poetry in journals such as Small Axe and The Caribbean Writer, and in New Caribbean Poetry: An Anthology, which was edited by Kei Miller, and So Much Things to Say: 100 Calabash Poets. Her debut collection, She Who Sleeps With Bones, was published in 2009 and she recently launched her second poetry collection, The Merchant of Feathers.

Kelissa McDonald was born and raised in the hills of St Andrew, Jamaica and was inspired from early on by reggae and Rastafari. With her parents as the lead vocalists in the reggae band Chakula, there was constantly music pulsating from her home. Her music has evolved into an expression of her background as well her stimulating living experiences in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Ghana. At the moment, Kelissa resides in Jamaica where she continues to make positive and conscious music as an avenue to express her diverse experiences and to inspire and uplift others.

Admission on Sunday, May 31, 2015 is free but donations are gratefully accepted. The doors will be open from 11 am to 4 pm but the opening speech and musical performance will start at 1:30 pm. The National Gallery gift and coffee shop will be open. Explorations 3: Seven Women Artists will be on view at the National Gallery until August 8, 2015.

localjoe.myorganogold.com

Jazz Film: "Stock's" Photos on Show

Sunday, MARCH 29
NEWBURGH, New York

On Sunday, MARCH 29th, the Downing Film Center (19 Front Street, Newburgh, NY 12550) will host “Beyond Iconic: Photographer Dennis Stock” at 1:00 pm. The screening will be followed by a live Q&A with filmmaker Hanna Sawka, after which all attendees are invited to the Wherehouse (119 Liberty Street, Newburgh, NY 12550) nearby for an after-party from 3:00 'til 5:00 pm with a live performance by the film’s composers and musicians, Teri Roiger & John Menegon, as well as Mark Dziuba on guitar & Dave Berger on drums!

This locally made film is the only full-length documentary about Dennis Stock, who is now the subject of Anton Corbijn – directed biopic called “LIFE” starring Robert Pattinson as Dennis Stock that will be released this year. The filmmakers of “LIFE” have thanked “Beyond Iconic’s” director Hanna Sawka in their credits for the role her film played in researching the personality of Dennis Stock.

About the film:
A master class on life, a portrait of a life fully realized: Beyond Iconic introduces Mr. Stock in his own words and through hundreds of his famous photographs, which include images from the Golden Age of Hollywood and Jazz, hippies, the American social landscape, architecture, landscapes and nature. This film is a look at Stock’s brilliant and famous photography, his colorful and adventurous life, and his brassy personality.

"Renowned for his classic portraits of Hollywood stars and jazz musicians, Magnum photographer Dennis Stock held strong opinions on what makes a lasting image. Documenting Stock before his death in 2010, Beyond Iconic takes us through his career and reveals how he captured such iconic pictures as James Dean walking through Times Square in the rain. We get privileged access into Stock’s photography workshop as he shares a lifetime of wisdom." Thom Powers, for the DOC NYC film festival at New York’s IFC Center, November 2011

Visual Art: Jamaica's Blackburn shows in US

Master printmaker from Jamaica, “Robert (Bob) Blackburn, is featured at the Wilmer Jennings Gallery, a satellite space of Kenkeleba House locate on 219 E. 2nd Street. The exhibition, which started on February 14, is called “Passages” and will be on view through March. Corrine Jennings, director of Wilmer Jennings Gallery, says, “We show Black History all the time.” A couple dozen donor sponsors helped produce this important exhibition curated by Deborah Cullen under the auspices of The David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland, College Park, which mounted the full exhibition in October, 2014. 

“I don’t think the Caribbean world knows that Blackburn is one of Jamaica’s (ancestry) most important artists,” says Jennings. Continuing, “Particularly for the opportunities he afforded others by creating a printmaking workshop, (first in 1947) in his apartment, opening it to others.”

It’s always Black History Month for Jennings and her collaborator husband artist Joe Overstreet whose Kenkeleba House, an East Village fixture for over 40 years is dedicated to the exhibition of artworks by African-American, Latino, Asian-American and Native American artists.

On Feb. 14 at 3:00 p.m. there will be a gallery tour and on March 14 at 3:00 p.m, a panel discussion.

Blackburn, whose parents were from Jamaica, grew up in Harlem in the 1930s taking printmaking classes as a young teen at the Harlem Community Arts Center conducted by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This was also the time of the Harlem Renaissance’s cultural fomenting when creativity and production flourished in Harlem. After DeWitt High School, he attended the Art Students League on a scholarship.

Jennings explained that the artist was devoted and known for his Chelsea-located Blackburn Printmaking Workshop, which moved to a larger W. 17th St. space in 1948.

“He often gave scholarships. He really wanted to expand and encourage young people and their relationship with paper.” It eventually became an artists’ cooperative and then a non-profit. After his death, the workshop was incorporated into the programs of the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts offering cooperative printmaking workspace, access to skilled staff and studio space.

She added, “He helped so