Claudine Housen/Staff Photographer
Vernal Reuben - 'Dialogue V', oil on canvas. The Forerunners exhibit inside the Eastern Concourse of the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Jamaica is blessed with a multifaceted culture: music, dance and even its colonial architecture.
One of the island's most notable ambassador of the arts, Gilou Bauer, felt that these themes should be exploited for the benefit of visitors. So, she is showcasing the diversity of some of the island's most talented artists in the Eastern Concourse at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.
The exhibition is called 'A Sense of Place'.
"The idea to establish a visual arts programme in an airport, is not new, but it is new to the Caribbean," she told The Sunday Gleaner.
Ms. Bauer is convinced the initiative will place the airport on the cutting-edge.
"Rather than a modern but bland international airport the concept of a sense of place celebrating Jamaica's rich cultural heritage is a much more gratifying experience to the visitor," she said.
The purpose of the showcase is to humanise the airport, provide visibility for Jamaica's unique culture, and to enhance and enrich the experience of the travelling public.
Three-phase exhibitionThe exhibition has three phases: a rotating art programme that changes every six months with artists contributing works on consignment that can be sold. An acquisitions programme made up of commissioned works for the airport, which will become part of the MBJ collection; and a sponsored art programme.
Visitors, Ms. Bauer said, can get a thorough look at Jamaican culture once they leave the plane.
"The various displays by artists will help celebrate the unique identity and cultural values for which Jamaicans are known," she said. "In an additional role, the new Montego Bay Airport will become a marketing opportunity for the country. It will provide a unique showcase for their art."
She intends to work with groups such as the Maroons, and highlight the different ethnic groups in Jamaica, including Rastafarians.
The exhibitions
Life on the Train Line - Photographer: Alan Smith.
Smith said as a boy in Jamaica, the train would pass near his home frequently; he was eager to ride it, but never got the chance. His parents later migrated to Canada, but on his return he fulfilled his dream to walk along the abandoned train line from Montego Bay to Kingston and recorded it on camera. A project dear to his heart.
The Forerunners: 1920s to 1950sThe term 'Jamaican Art' depicts the country's culture, symbolism and iconography. The pioneers in the 'Forerunners' panel witnessed the discovery of self and identity. The work of Seya Parboosingh, Gaston Tabois, Vernal Reuben, Osmond Watson, Carl Abrahams, David Pottinger and Edna Manley are showcased.
Representational art: 1960s to 1980sAbstract art: 1960 to 1980s
Emerging artists shown on the 'Representational Art and Abstract Art' panels further defined the art movement. Their palettes were enriched during their studies at foreign schools. They include JudyAnn MacMillan, Samere Tansley, Heather Sutherland Wade, Alexander Cooper, Amy Laskin, Bryan McFarlane, Stafford Schliefer, Cecil Cooper, David Boxer, Barrington Watson and Margaret McGhie.
The Young Generation: 1990s to todayThese artists incorporated new ideas and concepts in their depictions. They include Tricia Gordon Johnston, Khepera Hatshetwa, Laura Hamilton, Khalil Deane, Keriena Chang Fatt, Oneika Russell, Ebony Patterson, Keisha Costello and Kericee Fletcher.
Aspects of Jamaican ArtThis exhibition complements the previous one. It shows other aspects of Jamaican art: the intuitive artists (what I call tourism art) photography and watercolour.
IntuitivesThe term refers to self-taught artists who paint or sculpt with "a pure vision", the manifestation of which is intuitive. It includes artists influenced by African traditions or religious beliefs. Errol Brown, Kingsley Thomas, Roy Reid, Sandra Brown, Austin Campbell fall in this category.
Tourism SculptureMany of these artists are self-taught and sell their work from roadside shops. Abdel Mason, Alphaious Campbell, Bongo Johnson and Junior Pryce rule this panel.
