Remembering Kumina

Its funny, though I am a visual artist, I cannot remember going to museums or galleries as a child. The dress-up occasion for my family was going to see the new Pantomime in December and attending the National Dance Theatre Company’s (NDTC) Season of Dance. Though I drifted out of touch with it during my high school and college years my memory was renewed in 2008. Now 17 months in Japan, one of the last cultural events I attended in Jamaica was the NDTC Season of Dance. The performance was more vivid and emotive than I had remembered as a child. I am not sure if it was because I was now better able to appreciate the sounds, the movements, the posture and colours or if it has been refined into a fine art over all these years. I am sure it must be both reasons. In particular I am thinking of the performance of ‘Kumina’.

I only saw Rex Nettleford perform ‘Kumina’ once and then after that each year of seeing the performance I would be reminded by my family that the new dancers were doing ‘Rex’s choreography’. For me that was how the myth of Rex Nettleford began. That 2008 performance was revisiting for me one of the most powerful dance performances I have ever seen. I remembered in those minutes why I began engaging in cultural activity. I have to say that the dancers performing 'Kumina' now, contribute much to the power of that piece. I cannot remember specifically what Nettleford’s performance was like as at that young age as just seeing dance was overwhelming enough but I felt something of an aura still present there in the frenzied drumming, whirling skirts and strong faces. I remember asking during my NDTC attending days how do the dancers know how to do 'Kumina' perfectly each year. As a family of dance outsiders, I never got what I thought was an adequate answer. Perhaps it is just a sign of the strength of the NDTC that I can still wonder this today.

Photos by Peter Ramsey

source: www.bahamasuncensored.com

University of the West Indies Flickr Archive

source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/theuwi/

PHOTO COURTESY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES. PHOTO BY VALDEZ BROOKS

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The GO-SEE for ARTISTS

To borrow from America’s Next Top Model, recently I went on gallery 'go-sees' in Kyoto. With my travel-size portfolio in hand and some long-overdue courage, I set out to find a gallery. The courage was needed as this experience was not one I ever really had to do before in Kingston. In Kingston, the art world is interconnected and every one knows or knows of somebody and their work. Gallery owners or curators are not too far away or out of your reach. This may sometimes be a benefit to the art scene or cause its own set of problems however the gallery portfolio visit was something I managed to avoid. Japan with its specific hierarchical systems and stress on good manner was an interesting start. An artist could be in the process of being rejected and never even know it or better yet, walk away feeling good about their rejection.

Once again this feeling was slightly unfamiliar as my image of portfolio-showing gallery visits was for a long time tied up with memories of the many miserable critiques of art school. Its as though once escaping that system I subconsciously decided never to experience anything similar to that again. I did seem to forget though that they were a necessary part of learning about artistic life. Just as the ‘gallery go-see’ is an important step in introducing yourself to the art community though I only fully realized, this way after school ended. The gallery go-see can be seen in the same way that aspiring models stomp concrete to find their next opportunity and to network. As the world becomes smaller it is equally important in smaller more connected art communities, as in larger metropolises in order to become an art world debutant.

The process of organizing one’s work into coherent story, writing a statement or at least being able to vocalize it clearly is as important as the studio work itself. Yet somehow I allowed myself to slink away from it. Thankfully I decided years ago to channel my energy into entering group shows and applying for grants and awards, and these certainly do their share of developing the administrative muscle. The part that is daunting however is having to constantly face the question of the value placed on your own very personal work. Once you are honest about it however and take a well-considered objective look at the kind of work in the top celebrity gallery’s of New York, London, Tokyo etc. and compare your work, it should prove less intimidating. You may possibly realize that there is some element which needs more work or you will realize that your work is no different or perhaps better on certain levels. The most that will happen is you will gain inspiration to ‘develop your craft’ or gain confidence to go forward.

I will add that before my face to face go-see, I mustered up the courage to send my portfolio out to a few carefully selected galleries in various parts of the world. Interestingly enough, I received kinder responses from New York and London galleries than some other contacts close to home. The perception of what it means to be a curator, dealer, artist may sometime be tied up in the spirit of elitism but that perhaps is an issue for another post. Nevertheless there is no better time to start than now.

Suggested Tools for a gallery go-see:

1. Copies of your Artists Statement
2. A portable portfolio with between 12-20 images of a coherent developed recent body of work
3. A clear idea of what you want to achieve from the go-see (this will help in asking certain questions etc.)
4. Copies of your artists cv
5. Business cards (it could be a good idea to use the front of your business card as a space to show an example of your work)

Note: You may choose to go to galleries impromptu and leaving copies of your portfolio and business card or if you would like to speak specifically with the gallerist then an appointment may be appreciated.

Images are stills from Vernissage TV's coverage of Art Basel Miami Beach 2009. In your experience is this an accurate reflection of the artworld?. Watch the whole video here.

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Sheena Rose's Town

What is Town about and how did it get its name?

“Town” is an animation that is about a female figure depicted by myself who decides to go to Bridgetown. She is surrounded by some silhouettes and in them are words, outlining personal problems, thoughts and issues we face in our daily lives. The more I look into the culture of Bridgetown and the behaviour of some Barbadians it could also be said that the words could even represent some forms of gossip. In the end of the animation, I turn into a silhouette to show that I am just like anyone else.

The animation gets it name from when we Barbadians shorten the original name of “Bridgetown”. In Barbados, when we are asking a question pertaining to Bridgetown for example “Where are you going?” to a friend or any person, they would usually answer “I am going to Town.” So I thought it was interesting to just call the animation “Town.”

How did you decide on animation as a medium?

It all started when I was at Barbados Community College. I was studying Contemporary African Art and I studied William Kentridge. I loved his charcoal and the erasing technique. So I wanted to try out animation. I had this idea of treating each frame of the animation as an art piece; each frame is hand drawn and painted. I added newspaper clippings, comic strips, transfers; anything that would make the composition more interesting. I taught myself animation and I am still learning the media

What has the response been like and where have you shown/ exhibited the work?

I have been receiving great responses from many persons such as artists, curators, critics, gallery owners and viewers. Many people told me that the work is an inspiration and it causes them to realise that each person is equal in terms of their own personal problems. I believe they are impressed with how the animation is very playful but still carries a serious message.

“Town” was first shown in the Black Diaspora Symposium Visual Arts early in the year 2009. It was organised by David A. Bailey and the National Art Gallery Committee. It was shown in public in a Pharmacy show window in Bridgetown and it was interesting to see that the animation was actually sited in Bridgetown itself making it almost seem to be part of the surroundings.

After the symposium, Christopher Cozier and Sean Leonard invited me to show “Town” in Alice Yard, Trinidad. It’s a small place that is not a traditional art space but an area where artists, performers, writers and musicians come together to show and discuss art. Most recently, Real Art Ways, in Hartford Connecticut. Now that was really exciting for me because that was my first time participating in anything in the States. I discovered that the exhibition ‘Rockstone & Bootheel” was exhibiting international Caribbean artists, so

this was a very big deal for me.

You spoke about treating the drawings that you use in the animation as independent art works. Tell us some more about that works in terms of exhibiting and selling.

I want persons to see the animations as an art piece; just the same way you look at a painting but in this instance it is moving. In terms of selling the animation that’s a Yes. I would create it as DVDs and I am planning to sell the frame or stills of the animation. Again as I mentioned before each frame is hand drawn and, therefore, they are drawings.

You are now recruiting participants for your new work via Facebook; What will this new work be about and how will you be using these persons?

I used myself in “Town” but I am working on some animations with the same concept so I need more people. I am talking about persons’ problems so therefore I would need other people going through Bridgetown such as young, old, male, female, etc. However, these other animations wouldn’t be exactly like the original. I know these others would be very difficult but I am looking forward to the challenge.

Who are your favourite contemporary artists and how do you want to develop your work?

My favourite contemporary artists are William Kentridge, Robert Rauschenberg, Kara Walker, Christopher Cozier and Ewan Atkinson.

I really like William Kentridge’s work because, to be honest, I wasn’t interested in animations but it’s the way how he treats his animation. The charcoal drawings are fantastic.

I am working on a solo show exhibiting it in Barbados Community College’s gallery for 2010. I am planning to submit the animations in more exhibitions, residencies and film festivals. I am really happy how the process is going so far in term of ideas for the animations and of course the responses from persons. This motivate me to work harder, and exhibiting more of “Town”

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DEFINING DIGITAL part 1

This season Disney launched The Princess and the Frog(img. 1) with much hype. The fact that this was going to be the first African-American Disney Princess caused the media to take notice and was Disney’s main press kit. Another fact surrounding its production caused me to take notice: Disney had reopened its 2D animation department. That department closed around the period of Home on the Range and The Emperor’s New Groove as more efficient animation methods were found in digital tools. Hooray for digital media but there was also a sadness about it as though it may not have been the end of 2D technique it seemingly signalled that the value in the manual practice of hand drawn animation had plummeted. Nevertheless, Disney was always about efficiency and streamlining in its aptly named production line.

For some time it seemed that one had to accept the plasticky surfaces of Shrek and the muted coldness of The Polar Express as the next phase of progress in animation. Granted major 3D houses such as Pixar and Dreamworks did much to advance the medium through strength of story and design but there were times when it seemed that Finding Nemo and Cars would become the standards of animation filmmaking. Turned out I was wrong. With such beautifully crafted pieces as Belleville Rendezvous, The Danish Poet, Father and Daughter and Persepolis being nominated in the Academy Award animated film categories, it seemed that the value of hand-made films climbed. Even in Ryan(img. 2), Academy Award winning 3D short film, there was that aesthetic of freshness.

As it turned out, the independent animated filmmaker didn’t disappear, they turned to the short film format, digital tools to keep innovative 2D filmmaking throbbing. With the arrival of Sita Sings the Blues and The Pearce Sisters(img. 3) here was strong evidence that artists were using the digital tools to be more inventive than many of their highly budgeted feature length counterparts. This must have seemed very inspiring for aspiring moving image artist who could gain access to a computer and a few other basic digital tools.

For part 2 of this article please visit newly launched digital magazine Island Art & Design

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Exhibition Billboard Project

Exhibition Billboard can be found here on Facebook and an interview with one of its founders, artist, Camille Chedda follows below

What is Exhibition Billboard and what is the idea/ aim behind it?

 Exhibition Billboard Jamaica is a facebook group I created to inform people of exhibitions or art events in Jamaica and exhibitions featuring Jamaican artists internationally. This applies to all visual arts i.e fine arts, applied arts and includes spreading information about art sales, classes, fairs and lectures.

 How does it work if I am interested in posting my event or attending an event?  

 Members of the group can send me an email at ms.chedda@gmail.com with information about any event they would like to see on the group page. I generally provide links to pages outside of the group that others have created to promote their art events.

 Do you attend the events and if so is there any kind of reportage or documentation or plans to do so in future?

 I have not been to most of the events because I am operating out of town (most events are Kingston based). Documentation is something I would like to do in the future for the group. For now I’m relying on the Gleaner/Observer to provide feedback on events, but these sources tend to be inadequate at times because they don’t always report on these shows.

 When was it started and what are your plans for developing this initiative?

 This group was started in the latter part of 2008. So far I have had positive feedback, but I would like to play a more active role in attending events and providing information about them. I would also like to get more people involved in developing the group to make it more interactive. I would like to have more dialogue about shows. I suppose this could be extended into a blog such as artjamaica.blogspot.com.

How do you see this activity in your role also as an arts practitioner? 

Its been beneficial for me. It is important that people see your talents and unique ideas. I think its sad if your works are on display in a gallery or an art fair and no one is there to see it. You get no feedback, you get no sales. I think it's my job to spread awareness of art happenings so that both the artist and the art viewer will benefit.

Is being a kind of arts journalist changing your outlook or place within the arts scene?

 Not sure if I can answer this one since Ive not been attending much of the shows.

  How does a social network like Facebook allow you to devote time to providing this service?

It makes it easy for me to reach people outside the usual art crowd and get them to see art. Facebook has become a daily staple in people's lives so I found it useful in reaching a wide range of people.

 What are the kind of trends/changes you are seeing in the 'Jamaican Arts Scene' with your work with Exhibition Billboard?

I know that people are more aware of art happenings. People use the group as a calendar of events and have been able to plan their time around seeing an exhibition or attending an art class. Art events are getting the notice they deserve. People outside the general art circle are getting involved in viewing art. The Jamaican art scene is growing as a result.

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Annalee Davis: ON THE MAP

Annalee Davis, experienced visual artist, activist, designer tells us about a recent project, ON THE MAP, a documentary video project. For artists who are interested in venturing into making documentaries and some activist projects, Davis sets an example.

What is 'On the Map' about and what does it seek to achieve?

ON THE MAP is a thirty minute video project airing intimate discussions with undocumented Caribbean migrants who speak of life between the cracks. More specifically, it looks at the movement of people from Guyana to Barbados, revealing gaps between the official stand on Caribbean integration & the experience of unskilled Caribbean migrants, within the context of the CSME (The CARICOM Single Market & Economy).

The goals of ON THE MAP are:

1.To give a voice to the numerous voiceless and tell a contemporary story of intra-Caribbean migration.

2. To sensitise the public and policy makers to key social issues.

3. To contribute to conflict resolution at the community level while promoting tolerance, understanding & respectful coexistence.

4. To foster policy debates and political attention to the development of sound socio-economic policies under the integrative sheme.

5. To use my voice as a visual artist as a legitimate language to back chat to the state and engage in debate.

How did you transition into making documentaries from your earlier work ( paintings, drawings etc.) and do you see the documentaries as a part of your fine art practice or are they two different realms?

On the Map evolved naturally out of work I had done in relation to notions of home, longing and belonging. The region's attempt at becoming an integrated space is ultimately a question about Caribbean people claiming the archipelago, hundreds of years later, as home. The fact that we 'otherise' some Caribbeans as less then legitimate, is questionable. It seemed that the most effective way to speak to the migrant experience in the way I wanted, was through video....the project determined the transition into this new media...new for me. I am not sure that the On the Map exists in a different realm to the rest of my work...I see it more as a progression through ideas which are being developed thoroughly.

How do you finance and actualize your projects and is this something that the Barbadian Government participates in?

I received a government seed grant to assist with some of the pre-production and production costs of the project. A lot of it is self financed. I was producer, director, script writer and gopher! I worked with Omar Estrada, a Cuban artist who was the cinematographer and editor. I also worked with two other Cubans - David Alvarez, the director of an orchestra in Cuba and a musician, who came to Barbados to compose the music for the project and Henry Garcia did the animation for the video. It was a small team - underpaid, and over worked. The Barbados government has expressed interest in supporting projects which fit into the state's agenda to earn foreign exchange and grow Barbados' economy....not necessarily to develop the contemporary visual arts as a stated focus.

Your blog is quite socially activist and politically involved, how does this act as a medium for your documentary and fine art work?

The blog has helped to increase awareness about the issues while providing a broader platform to participate in the national and regional debate. It functions as a constant back up to the project, keeping it current by archiving issues related to intra-Caribbean migration. It is one of my projects which has received the widest attention, outside of the art community, resulting in my participation as a writer in the regional press and on panels on radio programmes. I like the fact that the medium which generated the public's interest in my perspective on this issue, is the visual arts.

Is there a particular atmosphere as it relates to the art in Barbados that fuels your work?

Although there are a number of artists who are producing intelligent work throughout the region; as an insular island, Barbados does not enjoy the attendant supportive institutional framework needed to develop the visual arts in the way, for example, you might see in the Spanish Caribbean. I am committed to this part of the world where I continue to live and work, with all of its frustrations, and at the same time, am developing relationships regionally and internationally to build opportunities for the work to be seen.

What kind of projects and collaborations are you open to across the region?

On the Map has evolved into Project 45....a suite of 45 projects that continues to examine the anxieties surrounding the free movement of people, while questioning the parameters that define who belongs and who doesn't. I recently worked with a videographer, someone who relocated to Barbados last year and who produces video documentary. Together, we recorded an interview with a Vincentian woman who wanted to tell her story of being harassed on the local bus by Police and Immigration authorities. (The state has recently taken to spot checking travelers' documentation to prove their legal status to live, work and reside in Barbados.) I am interested in collaborating in this kind of way, with individuals on projects that expand this discussion. In addition, I am collaborating with Canadian based, Barbadian visual artist, Joscelyn Gardner to launch a web-based project to facilitate critical discourse and opportunities for all kinds of interactions among artists and writers.

To find out more about Annalee Davis and these projects please check: http://creole-chant.blogspot.com/ and www.annaleedavis.com

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Shaving Bob Marley and giving you the finger.

Yuli Kande's (寒出 優里) works from Kyoto Current 

Living in Kingston, made me realise many things. One of which is that Bob Marley is one of the nation's most imaged persons in public spaces. Visiting Kyoto Current a couple weeks ago at Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art allowed me to see the image that is familiar but now represented differently. The Bob Marley portrait is just one of several large iconic portraits done by Yuli Kande. From an image seemingly familiar from American media such as a woman perhaps of Hispanic or African-American ethnicity painted on top of glittery bling giving us the finger to what can be read as a Japanese woman of homogenic identity  giving the well known Japanese snapshot fingers. Kande's work reminds you of the inside of the cadillac's of hip-hop culture. She seems to be using 'pimp my ride' aesthetics to etch out iconic cultural images. 

The show had so much to see and the young hopeful artists had an auction this weekend gone by. I am not sure how this works yet with the Japanese equivalents of Charles Saatchi but there was diversity to be seen. I saw what I expected and what I didn't. There were quiet zen-like landscapes, highly technical futuristic images, conceptual performance-derived work, tiny aesthetic statements and large explorations. I chose Kande's work for this post because I enjoyed it immediately and more importantly it confronted me. In the tranquility of Kyoto, anything that gives me the finger will get my attention. 

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VISUAL ACTIVISM: Phillip Rhoden's viewpoint

concept for "High school Drop out"

Phillip Rhoden was among the recent group of final year students mounting their final exhbition at The Edna Manley College. His body of work was pointed out to me as making a particularly individual statement about contemporary image-making. He seems to point to a newer directions at the college where the ideas approaches are interdisciplinary. In a year where you have a Visual Communications student having a 'painting exhibition' and a Fine art student  exhibiting an animation Phillip's statement about his artistic approach sheds some light.  

'Visual Activism, is when a person or a group of people, use their artistic abilities to create a series of visual campaigns, to spark social awareness or social change. Visual activism is not just limited to the Visual arts.  Music Artist can also be consider as Activists as well, as long as the underlying message is geared towards highlighting or speaking out against something the artist see’s wrong in society.  Activism plays a very key role in art, as art sometimes provides a way of communicating to people of different nationalities and religions; the way how you see life, problems you face because of your social surroundings and how you feel about them and what change you would like to see. And through art social boundaries such different languages are diminished as Art serves as a universal tool of expression. 

...I have to be very selective when I'm deciding which client, I will use activism as my approach. I find that company's such as Red Bull, to be the most receptive to the use of activism as means of marketing, but it has to be done in a way where its marketable to broad audience without stepping too hard on anyone's toe.

In terms of its role in the art community? I see visual activism as the Spies of Art, just enough of it will make things feel and taste just right. But when its over and done and been thrown in the face of the public on a daily basis, it begins to have a harsh taste, so people try to avoid it. Cause when you take a dirty attribute of society and make it beautiful. You fine that through that artwork, you offer a means of realization to the public without the waste of words.

-edited from an online interview at The ART:Jamaica Facebook Group page.

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Under the Sea

Journeyman Pictures has released a film showing the under water sculptures of UK artist Jason de Caires Taylor. Haunting and surprising but it mostly puts me in mind of what Laura Facey's sculptures like 'Redemption Song' might look like if Kingston became and Atlantis. The sculptures are placed offshore Grenada and are meant for people to view and interact with. How do you think we are meant to relate to underwater sculpture? See the video preview on Youtube

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The Fashion Industry – Ambassadors of the Jamaica Brand?

Recently, I came across a series of fascinating articles on the Australian Fashion industry and how it was being positioned to service the Australia brand internationally. Indeed Austrade’s (Australian Trade Commission) National Manager, Rob Sutton commented that:

‘The Australian Fashion industry isn’t just about fabrics, frocks and fanfare, but one of the key cultural ambassador industries. Fashion is one of Australia’s key creative and design industries and we know that there are over 2000 active fashion exporters delivering their products and services in overseas markets”.

It occurred to me that Jamaica might not be fully exploiting its own successes in the fashion industry to market Jamaica. When I say successes I mean the country’s international reputation for producing international top models whom have graced the cover of top fashion magazines (Vogue, Essence etc).

Jamaica – A Place for Fashion? Lessons from Australia
Jamaica has also had enormous success premised on its past victories at international fashion industry competitions such as Miss World and Miss Universe pageants. These arenas have not only exhibited the beauty of our women, but displayed Jamaica’s top class designers and the quality of their productions.

Australia has no doubt recognised that it has an international reputation for producing some of the emerging stars in the fashion world. The country is therefore committed, Sutton says, to exporting this vision with the goal of reflecting their creative environment; modern fresh ideas and quality products.

As part of Brand Australia, Sutton says, they look at promoting the image of the nation through varying strategies, with fashion being an attractive component of that vision. For them, it holds key international mainstream media impacts, artistic component and celebrity story reach.

This is undoubtedly true as I notice that top celebrities such as Eva Mendez, among others, have been flying into Australia to sample the design collections of many Australian designs – from the mundane items such as bracelets and bangles to top market pieces such as clothes, bags and shoes! Obviously, Australian celebrities such as pop singer, Kylie Minogue and actress Nicole kidman would have helped to establish the Australian brand by buying and wearing Australian desisgners.
Sutton argues that:
“It really helps to further Australia’s message through the creative industry. We are able to project diversity from pour relaxed beach culture – with our leading surf wear/swimwear brands to our vibrant cosmopolitan city lifestyles – with our urban street wear companies and cutting edge high fashion designers”.

Reggae Fashion
No doubt, the Bob Marley clan have cornered a part of the reggae wear market and have had celebs such as Gwen Stefani sporting the signature reggae colours. Other artistes such as Sean Paul, Sean Kingston and Shaggy have been instrumental in enabling the Jamaica design brand overseas. Cooyah designs and others have emerged as niche marketers of a line of Jamaica clothing. It would have been nice to see them in Berlin expanding the reach of Jamaica and Jamaican designs on the world stage.


Jamaican Street Wear – Untapped Potential
I give credit to the emergence of a wide variety of Jamaican urban ‘street clothing’ by creative young designers. The ‘Portmore Collection’ and the Kingston Collection have the potential to take off. Some entertainers such as General Degree have been attempting to tap into the T-shirt market. This is also a good thing as the worldwide obsession with reggae and Jamaica and things Jamaican mean that the space is wide open for further in roads to be made in this arena.

Australia’s creative industry particularly in fashion was showcased at the Rosemount fashion week in 2008. It featured Australian brands such as Jayson Brunsdon, High Tea, Mrs Woo, Madame Marie Rachel Bending which captured international buyer interest from countries as diverse as the USA, Canada, Italy, Spain, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, China and New Zealand.

Government Support
Like other cultural industries, the fashion industry may require government support. Sutton chalks up Australia’s success to the “result of the ongoing work that Austrade does in-market throughout the year to raise the profile and image of Australian brands. Actively supporting Australian brands and helping Australian exporters overseas. We work closely with retail buyers and agents to highlight the unique style of the Australian fashion industry.
Sutton considers as successes Austyle London and Dubai, Thailand’s Fashionably Australia and the 200 Ford Supermodel of the World event, which featured some of Australia’s top designers to more than 1000 of the worlds influential fashion leaders and international media.


It certainly would be interesting to the Caribbean Fashion Week – which I have enjoyed immensely every time it’s on – receive the kinds of international exposure and traction apparent in Australia. And Jamaican/Caribbean designers tap into the international circuit.

The success of the Australian business model is apparent – strategic thinking and positioning. In short, it’s no accident or chance encounter but deliberately planned and executed.

Educating And Training in Fashion
Sutton’s commentary is telling here: “We (Australia) have also worked hard to host pre-fashion week seminars with over 100 participants to bring interested new fashion exporters up to speed on managing international sales growth and the expectations of our international guests”.

Education and training – what would we do without it. It would appear that Jamaica has left fashion to the ‘unskilled’- those who can’t find a job and therefore should get [‘sewing’] skills. The perception of the industry must change and fashion seen as not just a alternative vocation for less formally educated but a real industry that can produce stars of design – clothes, shoes, bags etc.

The fact that Australia created their own ‘Project Runway Australia” reality show to much popularity, and established popular design schools for those wanting a career in the field - only serves to crank up interest in the fashion and design industry and ensure its endurance.

Jamaica is well-positioned to tap into the fashion market. We just need to seize the opportunity.

For more information on Australia’s creative industries, see www.austrade.gov.au

Contributed by Dr. Hume Johnson
Dr. Hume Johnson is a communications consultant, co-founder of The Communication Workshop; http://thecommunicationexperts.blogspot.com
Also see, Talking Politics at http://humejohnson.wordpress.com
Images sourced online from Caribbean Beat blog, fashionoverstyle_photos on photobucket.com, dryhyphenplympics.blospot.com

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POSTMUSEUM & The Downtown Story

In June 2007, I received a strange email. It said I had received the Commonwealth Arts & Crafts Award. I fell into deep disbelief. I still don’t believe it even though I can however recall the frustration I was experiencing in my artistic career when I applied, the months of tiring planning, the newness and out of body emotions of being in my host country, the many lessons learned about acting as administrator as well as artist simultaneously and the satisfaction with being able to work independently in my own studio for the first time in a few years. When I applied for the Award, I wanted to revisit the UK, being that my relationship with Britain was the basis of my work. I was however asked to find a location in Africa. I chose South Africa, specifically Cape Town. This however was not fated and going through a series of events and restrictions, I finally settled on Singapore. I had then two views of Singapore, as I would come to find out was similar to the view Singaporeans had of Jamaica. There was the romantic idea of Singapore and its colonial era memory and little bits of circulating information of a modern more edgy, thriving and highly restrictive Singapore. This I found to be true and untrue in parts, I also had a classmate who was one of the most well informed artists I had met in my small experience. With all of this in my head and the exciting but frightening prospect of doing my first serious artists residency, which had received some small publicity, I booked my ticket and took the 25 hour journey, ironically via London, to Postmuseum, Singapore.


I arrived at an artists space on a bustling Sunday night in Little India. The first persons I met while still groggy with jet-lag were a group of international and local artists sitting at a table at a social art project manifested as a vegetarian café. Many of those artists I met on my first night were to become my support during my 4 month stay. I asked at one point, why it was called Postmuseum. Singapore is a city-state with around 5 or more well-developed museums, 3-4 large arts education institutions. This I understood to be a country with an overwhelming concern with the organization of its art and culture, though granted I would welcome this sometimes in Jamaica. Postmuseum, I slowly realised was a space away from institutional enterprise. It was social in concerns, communities and the notion of locality was central. The room I stayed in, the loft, was an old brothel and at night while working in studio, I could see and evidence of being situated in the red-light district. This was definitely experiencing the local community and being intermingled with their stories. Though, I was in an environment different to ordinary experiences, I felt more connected to my location and was able to more easily transition this into my work. I mention these things because of the ideas it provided. There was a sense that artists were not willing to abandon areas of a city, that though now a bit seedy were still historically and culturally rich, because of fear or stigma. They were not only willing but enthusiastic to build their lives and make their work in the heart of it.


In considering the Postmuseum project, initiated by the P-10 collective, including Jennifer Teo and Woon Tien Wei, I remember my own attempts at trying to secure an equivalent space in Jamaica. Before I ever had thoughts of applying to the Commonwealth, I was in desperate need of my own studio space. Along with other local artists under the main co-ordination of established artist, Stanford Watson we tried to secure an unused and completely abandoned segment of the Bellevue Hospital. We waited months ending in final refusal. On my own I tried to rent one of the continually empty shop spaces at the Kingston Mall, which seemed to get most of its tiny stream of traffic from persons needing a short-cut rather than actual customers. I was quoted a figure so high that I doubt that an ordinary business person may have been able to make the rent. I tried to rent an office space on one of the several abandoned floors of the Ministry of Health Building. That at the time I was told was only available if the entire floor were being rented. There are several other instances, not only by myself but other artists. I do wonder at this point in remembering Little India, Singapore, Brooklyn, USA and Deptford and Brockley, UK, whether there may ever be a Downtown Kingston, Jamaica story.



Why do we seem to not be able to recognize the potential of the creative individual to regenerate and develop. Bringing new life and purpose to depressed areas through cultural activity is a formula used by many progressive state bodies. Should there not be some kind of recognition through our policy that culture is the new tourism, economy, politics etc. and that any aid to assist in development should not be grudgingly given or frustrated or turned away but enthusiastically aided. Given the mass of unused buildings which in Kingston which are almost untouchable as we seek to find absentee landlords(In some cases the landlord may be found but for unknown reasons seemingly prefers the buildings left in their abandoned state. Of course there are projects that have begun, noteably The Rock Tower, Multi-care’s Ice Factory and Gallery 178 but many are barely surviving and in need of support. Support from other artists, institutions, the state, collectors, private sector and the list goes on. Can we not make a concerted effort to have a new cultural and subsequently economic Renaissance? Could we have a thriving developing hub of activity on the arts front where artists are aided and assisted readily and not frustrated into seeking opportunity elsewhere. Can we have our Downtown story?

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