ART:Jamaica

Imagine New Dimesnions in Jamaican Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:42:00 +0000

Storybook Theatre Productions have begun staging a nine-show theatrical production titled 'Imagine'. The show has various elements of theatre uncommonly seen on Jamaican stages. The production is more of a rolling montage of skits put together to make one performance. It is held together by the presence of signing performers in various stage positions throughout. 'Imagine' offers much to enjoy in sensory terms as well as it makes use of sound design, light effects, large scale puppetry, harnesses and suspension devices, animation technique, illuminating and fluorescent materials and mime.

Scenes range from choreographed tribute to the many phases of Michael Jackson; a gothic tale involving the illusions of time and space created by moving beautifully painted scenery panels; an underwater sequence reminiscent of Disney's 'Little Mermaid' but performed to 'The Yellow Submarine'; a mime involving french style tramps and-punchinello clowns; a highly dramatic old story time sequence; and a charming dream-like dance of an approximately life-size puppet girl and her dog dancing to Whitney Houston's much acclaimed 'I Believe the Children are our Future'.

The production is not without its flaws however as the connecting time between the various scenes could be further considered and a few other details sharpened. 'Imagine' is despite this, a unique experience within the Jamaican Performing Arts scene. It was in the second to last scene that the real message of the production was delivered: a call for society to respect, consider and use greater sensitivity to our hearing-impaired population. The message is of such importance that it is a shame that the tickets are not priced within the range which makes it affordable to wider audiences. It is said that the reason for the ticket price is the expensive overheads at The National Indoor Sporting Complex venue. The venue was used because it is the only stage in Kingston large enough to facilitate such an ambitious production. There are also reports that the request to the country's private sector to sponsor and enable cheaper tickets has been poor. The show could also be titled 'Believe' as it makes it believable that the diversity and innovation within the cultural sector is within reach.

New Caribbean Artists Residency

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:52:00 +0000

The options for artists in the Caribbean have steadily been increasing in the last few years. In Trinidad & Tobago, Alice Yard has become increasingly more active in the region with its 24 hour invitational residency. The Popup Studios in Bahamas also has become known for its Drawing Residency. In Jamaica, NLS has recently invited several socially engaged photographers to participate in their own residency programme. Fresh Milk Barbados, has now launched its own international artists residency.

Fresh Milk Barabados is a team of creatives including an art historian and a writer who are interested in political and social engagement via the Arts. The residency can accommodate two artists or writers simultaneously. This works well with the option to collaborate with local artists or amongst artists in residence. The space appears to be an idyllic island setting of wood floored studios situated under shade-giving trees. There are several facilities also included such as use of the on-site reading room and wireless internet access.

To apply you need to fill out their application form, attach references and a portfolio. Find out more by visiting the link below for more details on residency costs and to make contact.

Have you been an artist in residency in the Caribbean? What was your experience like?

Fresh Milk Residency link here

If you would like to publicize your residency programme on this site please make contact via Facebook

Thanking Petrine

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 10:59:00 +0000

Skype screenshot from virtual Artists Talk with Petrine's Cornell Uni. course., 2006. Source Panmedia.com

Yesterday, I received the news that Petrine Archer-Straw had passed. This news dis take me by surprise. My connection with Petrine was mainly as a mentor for my artistic and academic work. Throughout this period she showed great generosity in encouraging my artistic practice, academic pursuits and especially this blog. I first met Petrine when I had my final exams at Edna Manley College in Kingston. She was one of the examiners of my final year Painting Show. I remember her for insistence that I shouldn't settle for the easy pathways in my work.

Later on I had the chance to work with Petrine on her website Diaspora Dialogs by providing discussions and artist talks with her course at Cornell University. Throughout that time my interaction with Petrine as a young artist made me feel that there was something of importance in my work. When I last connected with her it was to ask her to be an external supervisor for my doctoral thesis in Japan. For administrative reasons this didn't work but she allowed me access to her writings to help guide the way for me. It therefore hits me with the weight of the news that one day after handing in said thesis that there will be no more chances to connect with Petrine.

I want to therefore thank you Petrine for encouraging and supporting me in my endeavors. I also want to thank you for contributing so much to the arts and understanding of culture.

What I found on Twitter: Tallawa

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 09:26:00 +0000

Screenshot from tallawacollection.com

I just found this website this morning where you can see designs like the one above. They have a new Spring Collection with really eye-catching textile designs. The team consists of a husband and wife team John and Hillary, who are based in New York. They use the Jamaican Patois phrase 'we likkle but we tallawah' meaning 'we are small but strong' as the inspiration for their brand. The site features not only a clothing line but various images they seem to have collected and made appropriating other images. There is a real link that can be seen between the aesthetic tastes of the designers, the art they make and their fashion designs which indicates the Tallawa concept. Their interpretation of 'tallawah' seems to be a small group with bold and diverse creativity. What do you think of the Tallawa designs?

Tokyo Story: Creative Culture in the City

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 16:40:00 +0000

The last part in an interview with Marcus Bird about his fascination with Tokyo and its creative life. He has spoken about his ideas about lifestyle branding and art activities he participated in while living there. This time he speaks about the multitude of influences and visual stimulation. From Harajuku to Shibuya to Vuitton and being out there. His words out remind me of a documentary Pharrell Williams did last year called Tokyo Rising.

Tokyo at night, Below Jamaican Kingston dayscape courtesy of Silvio Luz

You taught yourself design and have worked in design in Tokyo, what is the creative culture like in Tokyo and what future plans do you have for your creativity?

Oh man can I talk about this for days! A real creative culture to me is one with enough people actively doing stuff that can inspire other people and also give people an idea of how far they can reach in whatever field they are trying to break into. Over thirty six million people live in Tokyo, so that’s a lot of artists, architects, singers, sculptors, painters and graphic designers. In Tokyo I was able to see art that I haven’t seen anywhere else in the world (except maybe Berlin) and there is a sense of a creative “pulse” in certain areas. In Omotesando you can see the uber-upscale but wonderfully creative ideas used in the high end stores like Louis Vuitton and Burberry, and then a few blocks away you see some really awesome shirts, shoes or accessories stores in Harajuku. But its not just that. Lots of people in Tokyo experiment with different kinds of fashion, so the regular way of dressing and what I call “thinking modes of creativity” are more acceptable. So if I want to wear spinach green boots and skinny jeans with my character shirts on, I don’t feel like I’m going “out there” with it. I love that feeling; where you can step out of your apartment in a crazy getup, or walk with the knowledge that you have access not only to creative works, but a creative mindset. Plus, in such a densely populated city, advertising is different. Stores use more art and media to grab your attention, buses and taxies have a bit more colour and attention to detail. It’s like as you breathe creatively, the city breathes too.

Kingston is much, much smaller and much, much, more chill and the art you see around naturally reflects that. It’s very “folky” if that’s a word. You’lll see lots of landscapes and scenes from the country and portraits of women with baskets on their heads. You’ll see stuff with beaches and rivers and canoes. That stuff is great, but it doesn’t make my mind get buzzing. My mind isn’t flooded with stimulation the way it is in Tokyo. It might seem obvious that It reflects island life and that’s cool, but you wouldn't’ get the same stimulation in a city with skyscrapers and high-speed trains.

Don’t get me wrong, Jamaicans are ridiculously creative people, but I don’t think we’ve embraced our prodigious talents much in the area of the arts. I even wrote about this recently in a local paper, asking “Where is Kingston Harajuku”? Because we don’t really have an art district in Kingston. That’s what I mean when I said in Tokyo you can “see where creativity can take you”.

I wasn’t working creatively on a full-time basis in Tokyo, and I was completely fascinated by the idea of having a constant creative purpose in such an awesome city, or a city of a similar size. There were days it blew my mind just to even be in Tokyo, because years before I had off-handedly said to myself “I’d love to launch my clothing at some point in Tokyo, or live in Tokyo”. But my will was definitely tested there. My Japanese was moderate but not super fluent, and on top of hustling with photography, odd little “baito-batio” (part-time work) it left me with little energy and often little motivation. But back to my original point about the things you see around you, this is what would make me get up in the morning and still try. I would walk around and see some cool photography at a gallery somewhere, or visit some bizarre exhibition in Shibuya, or see some amazing advertising artwork in the subway, or I’d go to to some odd shop in Mid-town. All these places would remind me that the shops, the items, the advertising, everything was created by “out there” creative thinkers. So even if my motivation was low, I could “plug in” to a lot of art in a lot of places and be reminded that creativity can actually take you somewhere. So I’d love to be doing a project with my work, or media in Tokyo that I’m doing all day, everyday.

I don’t like comparing places really, but Jamaica doesn't have that sort of creative pulse, mostly I believe because there are only 2.6 million people in Jamaica and Jamaican art is a little different. If you checkout the average Jamaican gallery, there are tons of landscapes and scenes from the country. It reflects island life and that’s cool, but you wouldn't’ get the same stimulation in a city with skyscrapers and high-speed trains.

Where do you think the creative pulse is in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries?

Watch Tokyo Rising here:

N.L.S., A New Local Space

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 06:50:00 +0000

Deborah Anzinger's own studio space

I met Deborah Anzinger the way I meet most people in the Arts these days, via Facebook. She spoke about a new arts space that was opening up in Kingston soon. This was great news as I can't tell you how many times when I was a younger artist working in Jamaica's urban metropoilis that I longed for some kind of arts culture beyond exhibitions and galleries. I always felt there was never enough focus on the process of art-making outside of the art school environment and that the art scene was designed to privelage the collector. I suppose inveitably many of my colleagues and myself left the country seeking this opportunity in other larger 'art circuits'. I asked Deborah to tell us more about herself and the new art space project and plans.

What is NLS and what is the aim of this project?

NLS is an artist-run initiative, consisting of a gallery program and an artist residency program, scheduled to open at the end of 2012. NLS aims to effect a culture of relentless experimentation and intellectual accessibility in the visual arts by:
1. Promoting local artists and curators that are already working hard in this way
2. Strengthening the local and international community of such individuals
3. Building new audiences for these artists

The name NLS, functions as a point of origin for an endless initialism that is constantly growing. So far the name has grown to be: Nuclear Localisation Signal, New Local Space, Natty's Loquacious Stylings, Nerds Love Serpents, Nobodies Loving Something, Now Look Sideways, No Longer Single, Notable Love Stares. Consequently, the name is not only interdisciplinary in context/origin, but has been contributed by a group of individuals. The activation of the name in this way is a metaphor for the tone of the programs that NLS embodies: an open, collaborative and organic environment in which different disciplines freely mix and push boundaries through experimentation, play and constant work.

How did you come to be involved in this project?

I came to be involved in this project in a very organic way. The ideas behind NLS are ones that I have been in the process of documenting for about five years and they revolve around my experiences as an artist in various situations such as my studio, being a member of an artist collective, a gallery artist, an artist-in-residence, and manager for a non-profit art gallery in Washington DC. Throughout these situations, I’ve noted recurring circumstances/environments that correlate with periods of creative breakthrough, high productivity, and rewarding career relationships.

When circumstances lined up for me to relocate to Kingston I was very ready to take advantage of the opportunity to start NLS. The people with whom I’ve started this, Mandilee Newton, Chajana denHarder, Simon Benjamin, Richard Lyew, are persons whose work I admire and with whom I have formed meaningful relationships through work along the way.

How important is the site's location in Kingston to the aims of the project and what kind of space/s are you planning to setup?

Some renderings of the future arts space.

The site’s location in Kingston is significant and convenient for me on a number of levels. The site for NLS is at 190 Mountain View Ave— about 3 blocks from the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing arts, from which recent graduates like you are doing great things. Notably, we are sharing address with Creative Sounds, a recording studio that’s been around since 1982. We are very fortunate to be able to start NLS somewhere that is not only geographically convenient, but also located within a hub of creative activity and talent. And because we have easy access to the recording studio any artist-in-residence of NLS wanting to include sound as a component in their project can do so readily as part of their residency.

NLS is going to be operating out of its own building that houses the exhibitions, studio space and resident artists. The ground floor is going to be a 640 square foot exhibition space, that functions as a studio space during residencies, and is going to be equipped to show video and sound art as well as work in more traditional media. The second floor includes the administrative office and sleeping quarters for three artists-in-residence.

I think of Kingston as being a place where the desire for nowness is palpable and has led to inventiveness. For me this is most easily demonstrated by the speed with which new musical genres have developed here in the last 50 years. I also think there is an inherent inventiveness that comes out of urban environments where life moves faster. I love being around that and I like tapping into it. There is also a wide breadth of walks of life in Kingston, and I’m of the opinion that the power to invigorate and move people has something to do with usurping a space across class and other boundaries; this is something NLS aims to do through visual arts. We want to open up the conversation to whoever is interested in accessing the energy and new ways of thinking and looking that the artists in our program have to offer, and we want to give these artists the support that will help them bring their novel ideas and vision into fruition, however large or small.

There is mention of three artists residencies being planned, how do you see these artist residencies as being an important catalyst for the things that you hope to achieve with NLS and in the contemporary art scene?

By providing studio space, a stipend and room and board we are giving support to visual artists working in ways that might be ahead of what the general public knows or understands of art, without artists feeling the need to compromise singular ideas worth exploring. While we believe the commercial gallery system is valuable, it can encourage artists relying on an income to make work with which the public already feels comfortable. We believe that an aspect of art is a constant two-way conversation, between artist and public, about progress. The support NLS offers gives artists a stronger voice that can be heard in this conversation.

We also want to give the public the opportunity to see, understand and appreciate these new ways of seeing/thinking. Therefore essential parts of NLS’s programming are planned studio visits open to the public of the resident artists’ workspace, as well as panel discussions during the run of exhibitions; all part of a mechanism for creating a strong culture around visual arts.

Part of the outline of the program is to have a mix of local and international artists during each residency cycle. This is to facilitate a larger network, a larger conversation, and really allow local and international artists the opportunity to see themselves in different contexts, as well as adopt and borrow things they may never have imagined on their own…these are things that are valuable for creative breakthroughs.

Visit NLS site to find out more. What hopes do you have for a new art space in Kingston?

@The Armory Show: 297 Niggas on Linen

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 19:59:00 +0000

297 Niggas on Linen
Photo by Sandra Stephens

In viewing The Armory Show in a flash, in the blur of the huge market/ showcase for 'serious' contemporary art a few works definitely caught my eye and some made me laugh. Some made me stop and some I had to go back to again and again. One of the ones I really enjoyed was Devin Troy Strother's '297 Niggas on Linen'.

What do I respond to in this work? I saw the work from a few feet away and was drawn by the pattern of flat black squiggles on a neutral tan textured ground. Moving in closer to admire said pattern, a mass of tiny stylized/ stylish black figures, the mentioned '297 Niggas', burst forth. In various poses and facial expressions suggested by different dots representing eyes and smiles, vaginas, nipples and anuses. The work is so tongue in cheek and delivered with an eye wink it wins you over. I went back to see it again and laughed. I see it as standing in the legacy of Kara walker's work, which though brilliant, always makes feel slightly bad about myself.

Work from Strother's The Coloured Series

In visiting Strother's site I found a series of even more playful works tilted for example: 'The Coloureds Series Part 4: "Gurrrl I'm just talking about that composition, Gurrrrl what'chu know about that post abstraction?". The Nigga's, Coloureds, black shapes, or whatever is more comfortable to refer to them as when framed against art history and modern painting is like a punchline that makes me stop after laughing and say 'Hold on, wait, what?!'

See more of his work here

Lifestyle Branding

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 05:19:00 +0000

This is the second part of jamaicaninjapan blogger, Marcus Bird's Tokyo Story. He spoke with me recently about his fascination with the Tokyo creative scene and the various opportunities he has had. Through his experience of living and working in Japan he has evolved as designer. One of the stories he shared was about his interest in how designers use characters and branding to shape lifestyle in Japan.

You spoke about lifestyle brand and wanting to get involved in that direction as well as to take some of your influences in Japan and adapt it for Jamaica. Can you explain what lifestyle branding is and the ways you have been creating lifestyle brands?

For me a lifestyle brand encapsulates the dominant aspects of a culture or a movement and allows people to a new way to participate with this brand through ownership of what that brand provides as a product. I lived in D.C for a while, and there I really saw for the first time kids and people who had investments in different brands that allowed them to make a statement about their kind of day to day life. Like skaters, the “indie” crowd, gamers, and so on. These folk wore more edgy shirts, or stuff that represented what they loved, like T-shirts with Nintendos on them. I found myself at that time embracing my gamer and geek side more, because when I was in Jamaica, there wasn’t so much of a serious geek culture, or people who represented lifestyles they liked with their style of dress. My current set of characters are a fusion with aspects of Jamaican and Japanese culture that highlight what I like about both. Jamaica is vibrant and colourful; Japan to me sounds clean and smooth. After I got the idea a couple years back, I took steps towards learning design to see if I could make it real and came up with my current set of characters.

Living in Japan revealed to me more about marketing and consumer behaviour than giving me tons of new influences. I say that to mean when I was in Japan, there weren’t a ton of shops I’d always frequent or clothes that I’d search for. Since I had my own concept, it was more a matter of feeding on the energy around me to keep feeling like my stuff would make it. I saw that in Japan, people aren’t afraid to pay for product they like, expensive or otherwise. So I saw the proof that lifestyle brands survive because people ravenously support them. Whatever you make has to fit where you are coming from, or fit into what people already like. Hello Kitty is the best brand that represents tenets of Japanese simplicity and cuteness; it “fits. This seems to be universal across the boards for all brands that I’ve seen of this variety. You might have to adapt slightly different business models depending on where you live, but at the end of the day its those ravenous fans or people that love how your stuff “fits” with them that count. If you can model that, you are gold.

Tokyo Story: Creative Potential of Pecha Kucha

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:52:00 +0000

Marcus Bird delivering his Pecha Kucha. See the video here

Marcus Bird of the Jamaican in Japan blog spoke with me recently about his fascination with the Tokyo creative scene and the various opportunities he has had. This is the first part of three in Bird's Tokyo Story. Through his experience of living and working in Japan he has evolved as designer. One of the stories he shared was about when he presented his creative ideas and character designs at a Tokyo Pecha Kucha night. He found that it is a strong way of networking and sharing his unique creative thought. He explains the presentation format here.

ART:Jamaica: I saw your blog where you presented a Pechakucha presentation in Tokyo. What is Pechakucha and how did you come to be talking about your ideas in Tokyo?

Marcus Bird: Pechakucha is a creative forum where everyone has to present in the same format. So you get twenty seconds and a limit of twenty slides. So you get a little over six minutes to talk about your ideas, projects, a philosophy, anything. I was able to present because I met this guy named Jean who runs a monthly meetup for creatives called Pause Talk. He is responsible for Pecha Kucha in Tokyo, and after going to his thing a few times I decided to pitch an idea to the Pechakucha team. They said it was cool, and luckily for me it fell right in Tokyo design week.

Talking about Tokyo, I have to say that the city right now is the biggest representation for me of me trying to actualize my creative concepts. I was living in a small town in Shizuoka when I first went to Japan, and trust me, I wasn’t inspired by living there at all. My first trip to Tokyo a few months afterwards was … how do I say this? EXPLOSIVE! (laughs) After a year of being somewhat disgruntled where I was, I just decided to go. I moved to Tokyo, found a place and then started getting into the scene. If you are a creative person, Tokyo is a place constantly overflowing with ideas, colours and sounds; like a living battery. The more creative people I met doing things in Tokyo, the more I started to envision myself doing stuff creatively in Tokyo as well. Pecha Kucha was a representation of that; me doing a presentation based around the same questions I was asking myself about my creative journey and where I felt it was going. That’s why I called it “Untitled Design”, because that's how I think about stuff you want to achieve that isn’t clear yet. It has a form, a shape, but its still untitled until it is ready to be revealed.

Check out this video on how Pecha Kucha works and the format. Has Pecha Kucha night happened in Jamaica? I wonder how we could use this format as contemporary artists as a way to effectively convey our ideas to anyone or as a creative medium itself?
Next: Bird discusses his ideas about 'Lifestyle Design'

Contemporary Art in Stores

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:54:00 +0000

The Kyoto BAL building's use of artist mirocomachiko's painting and
reproductions to create enticing tasteful window displays for
their New Year sale

The possibility of exposing art to the public is great if you utilize spaces that are less traditional. It is not uncommon to see reproductions and paintings and drawings of local artists used in banners, window displays and dedicated in-store displays in some of the trendy Japanese department stores. The image of the store benefits from the eye-catching, unique imagery of the artist and the artist benefits from the increase in appreciators and earning potential.

In arts cultures there is the stigma of watering down the seriousness of one's artists' persona by indulging in commercial activity to earn a living. This attitude perhaps became ingrained because the inability to live from your art could indicate that the artists work has not reached the level of development to attract committed collectors and dealers. In an age however when an ever increasing number of students are choosing to study media, frequently use Photoshop, engage in fan art and keep art schools thriving, it may call for reconsideration of attitudes toward fine artists pursuing commercial activity.

Window display using painting and graphics from mirocomachiko

On the ground, art dealers are charging larger percentages for access to gallery spaces and use of mailing lists while the public is reaffected by recession and tastes for collecting art decrease. It perhaps is time for artists to look to alternative avenues for diversifying their creativity. As an artist myself, I can also imagine getting my hands on window displays in stores in the city capital to create narratives and worlds which utilize the displays of the store.

What ways do you think artists can apply their talents to create diverse opportunities and reach new audiences?

Free Up

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:25:00 +0000

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

I want to be able to speak about Art in whatever way I choose. I wan to use media and the internet in the way it was meant to be used: freely for all. With SOPA and Protect IP this wouldn't always be possible. How do you feel about this?

The Art Student at the Zoo

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:49:00 +0000

The zoo as a place to encourage creativity, is rich in intriguing delights. There are so many animals from the region and far overseas which literally become captive subjects. Apart from the obvious socialization and entertainment students of art can engage in with their peers and the animals, it is also a great method of expanding life drawing skills.

Two days ago, I went to the Kyoto Zoo and reminisced about my own art school days when we had a chance to leave the studios to go and sketch skylines and foliage at Hope Gardens in Kingston. Just as the university students of Kyoto made their way in groups to each exhibit, we also wandered the grounds of Hope Zoo to capture in quick studies, the movements of our small collection of wild animals. Many of us on those trips improved the fluidity of our line and growing confidence as artists.

I wanted to write about this zoo visit partly out of nostalgia for those days and with the hope that it will encourage us to find creative benefit in life that we don't usually study. The other reason is what occurred to me as I observed the students sketching the animals in two particular exhibits.

The brown bear was a large mammal who though fascinating as a subject,on looking closer, had very little standing room in his area. There was a large enough pool for him but in the freezing Winter climate, it did not look at all inviting. There were also high structures for climbing but the actual flat standing room was barely enough for him to turn in. I noticed this while the student was sketching. The next exhibit was a shock for me because though I have spent hours fascinated by them on YouTube, I had never seen this animal in life before.

On entering The Zoo's Ape Sanctuary I came immediately face to face with The lone Silverback gorilla peering at the students with his face pressed up to the glass. There was an invaluable interaction between the gorilla and students that would undoubtedly produce very animated drawings but immediately I couldn't stand to see the animal's face as he sat inside a concrete enclosure not much bigger than my first apartment.

It was very hard after that to objectify the animal as a willing model when I knew that this wasn't the case. Undoubtedly zoos are great resources but in keeping with newer thought about how we understand ourselves in relation to our fellow animals I wonder about the reasons we have zoos.
In thinking about whether it was the existence of the zoo or the way the animals were housed that bothered me, I realized it was the latter.

Newer zoos concepts are more like wildlife parks such as Twycross Zoo or Whipsnade Zoo in the UK. This concept makes me feel a bit more comfortable with holding animals in captivity as we can see them in close to wild habitats and social groups. Our understanding will not be limited to the capture of animals for amusement purposes only but for fostering respect for our fellow creatures. I can also remember in my art school zoo visits where particularly empathetic students would leave saddened by the state of the two lions at Kingston's own zoo.

What do you think about the zoo as a place for drawing? Do you have memories of drawing live animals?

The Art Student and Activism

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 06:58:00 +0000

Anti-Nuclear Posters on a wall on the Kyoto Seika University campus

The wall of posters pictured above is part of the NO NUKES campaign which uses poster design to capture the attention of the public in discreet ways. Each month since the launch of nonukes.org budding artists from the various art schools across Japan, post their designs. The posters can then be printed and arranged as a public art/ wall of protest in various places. I imagine that there are several walls like this one all over Japan and I would love to see them. This particular wall is in an entrance way to a building which houses 2-3 departments and is directly in front of the bench where students and lecturers take their cigarette break.

Campus police at UC Davis campus using pepper spray to remove protesting students

I used the word 'discreet' earlier however because it is a very subtle way of getting the point across if we compare it to other recent school protests. I recently learned about the UC Davis campus protests and the David Willett Cambridge talk protest from comedian Josie Long's set on BBC Radio 4's The Now Show Extra. She described through sarcastic humour her reaction to seeing the videos on YouTube. The first protest provoked the anger of protesters because a group of students engaged in a sitdown protest where unnecessarily pepper sprayed by campus police. The Cambridge students were protesting high fee increases and the UC students were joining the Occupy Wall Street Movement.

The way students have chosen to protest in Japan, with the continuous flow of NO NUKES poster designs and public space interruptions is less overt and a bit more subliminal than their Western counterparts. The manner however is perhaps more in keeping with Japan's non-confrontational culture but in this instance I found it interesting that Art was used as the tool of protest rather than the more conventional methods of marching, picketing and protesting familiar in the US and UK. It makes me wonder about the effect and speed at which the desired change will occur.

The more passive method will seep into the consciousness and it will be carried with you. Due to the website also proliferation and distribution of the posters can occur easily and portably. The more vociferous method will definitely grab more headlines and documentation of it in this age of social media will attract more viewership and discussion however. The method is ultimately appropriate to the culture and the message.

A work attributed to neugerriemschneider addressing the isolation of Activist Artist, Ai Wei Wei

In writing this post however I am considering what causes art students in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean today are putting their talents to and organize themselves around. I remember working on my final body of paintings for my graduation show in college when a respected lecturer asked me what mechanisms I had employed in my creative language to address current events, socio-political issues etc. Then it occurred to me that Art was not only for individual expression but also useful as a social catalyst. Sometimes in focusing on the gallery system and its market driven practices, considering individual desires can become stronger than societal contributions but activism offers opportunities for creative expression and experimentation in other ways outside of the Artworld bubble. The example of the NO NUKES Movement illustrates how activism need not be considered a distraction apart from main studies but a beneficial aid to development of the thinking artist of tomorrow. Of course Activist Art is an end in itself also and can be an effective way to voice opinions and protest.

What causes are you interested in engaging in using Art? How do you propose we use Art to handle problems with governments and other institutions that we want to change?

Disillusions goes on tour

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:16:00 +0000

Production Still of Snow White Remixed, Video Installation,
Sandra Stephens & Allie Tyre, two of the
exhibiting artists

On September 27, this group show of Caribbean and diaspora artists, opened at Middlesex County College, New Jersey. The show is curated by Tatiana Flores, who was also involved in curating the expansive 'Wrestling with the Image' earlier this year at the Art Museum of the Americas. This time around she has curated a show which focuses on 'Gendered Visions of the Caribbean and its Diasporas'.

So successful has the show been in revealing aspects of contemporary Caribbean Art that it was invited to travel to The Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Gallery in New York for a second opening. The show opened this weekend and runs until December 31st this year. The names involved are newer names than regularly seen in years past on the Caribbean art circuit and reflect the diversity and experiences of culture and exploring gender. A panel discussion/ artists talk will happen at the gallery on December 14 at 6pm.
View the e-vite and see more info here

Andrae Green on The Artist's Residency

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:57:00 +0000

Altered-States (Conversation with Colonel Percy Wyndam). One of the smaller paintings Green produced while in residency

The artists residency is a part of the artists career which we never really learned about in art school, yet facilities and organizations worldwide providing residency programmes have been growing steadily. It is often a good way to boost an artists confidence and exposure* and can sometimes help artists push further in their career. By the provision of a working space and support, it at least gives the artist time to create a small body of work depending on the duration. The hoped result is that it will benefit the maturity of the artists work and networking opportunities as well as contribute to the life and economy of the facilitating communities.

Emerging Jamaican Painter, Andrae Green, has kindly shared his experience and thoughts about the artists residency. We asked questions about Green's recent residency experience and he tells us about the process and the role it plays for him. *It should be noted that the artist was featured in a local newspaper while on residency.

You recently came back from a residency in New York, introduce us to the residency programme you went on.

The residency that I was invited to be apart of is called the CAC (Contemporary Artists Centre) Woodside, located in Troy New York. The residency is multidisciplinary, and it's open to artist from all nationalities. The CAC was founded in Berkshires Massachusetts but was recently moved to renovated chapel at Woodside Troy, New York. Troy is a small town in upstate New York located 10 minutes outside Albany, which is the capital of New York state. The CAC residency is year round and artists are invited to stay from as little as 2 weeks to as long as 3 months. The application is done online through the CAC's website. My stay at the residency was from July 17th to August 26th. Its a great program and I recommend it to anyone. I will say that if your coming from the Caribbean you should plan your residency for the summer months.

Why did you feel the need at this point in your career to go on a residency?

As I see it, an international residency is one of the best ways for any artist to gain experience and exposure outside your country and make, if possible, crucial connections that might bode well for your career. These were the same reasons that I had when I applied to the CAC.

Green and other artists in the programme in front of his paintings.

What activities did you get involved in and tell us about the kinds of networking that happened for you?

At the residency we had weekly critiques, where we would present our works to the newly arrivals, and also update the group on any progress that we had made during the week. Also we went on outings to the town of Troy, like the farmers market on Saturdays, and to other historic sites close enough to drive to. As I think that I have said before I met alot of people while at the CAC, and hopefully I made some lasting friendships.

You had an exhibition as well, was this related to the residency and did the results of the residency meet your expectations?

Yes the exhibition was put on by the director of the residency, Mrs. Hezzie Johanson. It was a group show and every artist at the residency or affiliated with the CAC was invited to participate. The show was held as a part of "Troy Night Out". Troy Night Out is held every end of the month in summer, between June and September, as a celebration of the arts in the town. The whole town comes alive with artist of every kind exhibiting their wares of every kind. It's really exciting, there is music and dancing in the streets and art everywhere almost like the old time Jamaican grand market.

Being as it was my first residency I came into the experience with and open mind, with no expectations, and I was pleasantly surprised. The facilities were great, the staff was very helpful, and the whole experience was thrilling to say the least.

Woman 1. Another small painting created by Green
during his residency

For what purposes would you recommend a residency to an artist, Can you share some tips on practical information about finding, applying and funding a residency experience?

As stated before I wanted to expand my career possibilities and get exposure for my work. There are a lot of opportunities open to anyone seeking to expand there career horizons. Some residencies that you find there will be application fees to pay, while others are free application. There are a lot of different types of residencies and they offer different things, for different kinds of artist. Some are only for emerging artist, while others cater to both. You have to know what position you are career-wise so that you will be able to take advantage of whatever you may find. Also keep in mind that you can't apply to everything , and you need to keep a check on how your spending your money as, application fees do add up. A websites that I have found very helpful to me is transartists.org, I am sure that there are others, but this is the one that I know of.

Have you done a residency yourself? What was that experience like?

Do you think doing residencies are important for all artists to do?

'The Artist' Series

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:06:00 +0000

In concentrating some of the things that we have been talking about on this blog since the beginning I am starting a new series. The focus has always been from the perspective of the young and emerging artist trying to figure out the 'Art World' and all the twists and turns involved. There have been several interviews with artists as well as issues concerning subjects such as preparing a portfolio, visiting galleries, politics etc. There have also been several posts relating to international and regional art scenes. Now to hone in on what it is to be an artist in this time I am launching 'The Artist' series.

The idea is that artists in this time more than ever are wearing many hats out of necessity, resourcefulness, changing roles and expectations. I would really love for you to participate and share your stories and experiences with us.

Art & Design Culture: Spec Work

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 10:46:00 +0000

The Huffington Post recently mounted a competition calling for entires for logo designs for their political campaign activities. This act created a backlash among designers who thought it was in bad taste for a rising media power like The Huffington Post to call for free design work via Spec competition or crowdsourcing
. This, I learned, is referred to as Speculative (Spec) work. One of the main groups against this latest call is called AntiSpec and in its campaign it battles the scourge of Spec work head on.

'Spec(ulative) work is a cancer within the design industry and all designers need to understand their role in fighting it.'

- AntiSpec site
Why is this Spec Work so offensive though? Doesn't everyone win? Designers get guaranteed payment when they win competitions and companies get the best design right? I ask the question because while working in Jamaica in the mid to late 2000’s, I gained a little experience as a designer and commissioned artist and found this to be part of the general practice. Then after visiting the AntiSpec site and listening to their arguments I started to realize that I felt this way as well but also had one foot in the other system of crowdsourcing.
Many young creatives frequently participate in this crowdsourcing activity as I also did in my early art school days. At that time, there was a constant flow of competitions calling for new logos for government bodies and departments, banks, special events, publicity posters etc.- the usual fare. Usually the award was enough money to cover personal expenditure and cost of materials for a semester in school. It was always a chancy issue as I could win the money or lose the money.
This is where focus of the AntiSpec group's campaign seems to lie. For each design call more than one and sometimes hundreds or thousands of designers prepare and submit work. Even though its one design, if we add up each individuals time and effort that they put into doing the work, the hours and costs rack up. When I was doing this, those hours included researching the subject and the organization, brainstorming, conceptualizing and sketching ideas, rendering the design digitally or by hand, transporting the design to the submission offices and other details. This doesn't include the money involved in funding this venture such as your art supplies, printing and more. That was also time away from my studies and assignments. In total of all those perhaps 4-6 entries I took place in I was fortunate enough to win one. This however is
rarely the case for the majority of competitors.

By now you may be thinking that it was not forced and that I willingly participated. I calculated the risks and due to the cost of my chosen field and the extreme shortage of part-time jobs for college students in Jamaica, I decided to enter. After all there was the potential of getting returns on my hard work. I remember the point however when I decided never to enter another Spec competition. It was when I realized that the persons judging these competitions were not necessarily looking for the best design in an academic sense. Often there were no designers or like creatives on the judging panels. In finding that to be the case I concluded that it was essentially pointless to use my creative training to create these designs when that wasn't even a factor in assessing submissions. I then decided to focus on fine art as my outlet.

I had an option but what if you are deeply rooted in the industry as an independent pro designer or part of a team at a design firm and have to spend substantial amounts to submit designs for these competitions and you never get compensated? It may not have occurred to commissioners of designs don't really understand that they are asking for free work as the focus is on the fact that there is a winner and a cash prize, but what about the unsuccessful designers? Maybe this issue comes down to a simple fact of value. Companies could be approaching the issue as opportunity for the masses of designers but isn't that ultimately disrespectful of the design craft?... or like auditions are part of the actor's career, should it be accepted as just part of the trade? Maybe artists, designers, writers, performers are also allowing the value of their work and control they have to be eroded by doing Spec work.
And one last thought...if there is Spec work in 'Design' what about 'Art'. Are calls for proposals for sculptures, paintings etc. and artist competitions hosted by galleries also speculative?
What are your thoughts on this?
Oh by the way, The Huffington Post pulled that campaign.

Collage Aesthetic

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 08:24:00 +0000

Black-faced

In a timely way I got to see some images from GA Gardner's portfolio recently that use collage technique to make simple statements and ask certain questions. The collages range from the iconic-political statement to more painterly tributes to collage and black arts and culture. He works in various media such as paint, mixed media and also CGI. The resulting images however are all driven by this method of approaching imagery where he cuts into it and rearranges and pulls out meaning where we queried nothing before. The images 'Black-faced' (above), and 'Foster Mother and Child' (below), in particular speak to this side of his artistic approach. The painterliness that meets magazine page cut-outs can be seen in 'Earthly' and 'Icon' below.

Limbo - CGI print

ART:Jamaica: You began your career using CGI to make large format images. The CGI images are very painterly and you also make paintings, so what led you from pigment and brush to the computer as an creative tool?

GA Gardner: I came to the USA in 1988 with the plans of becoming a graphic designer. I didn't really understand all that that entailed but I already had a background in fine art and commercial art in Trinidad. I also had training as a woodworker. I enrolled in college in the US and took a animation course and from then on I was hooked. I thought it was fascinating even back then. I later transferred to a University in San Francisco where I studied more fine art, film and animation, then got accepted to the Ohio State University where I received a Ph.D. in art education and focused on computer graphics and animation. We were using SGI workstations that were donated to OSU by Industrial Light and Magic after being used to create the movie 'Jurassic Park'. So very early on I got involved with creating high end 3D graphics and animation. This was not too much of a stretch from what I was already doing in the traditional fine art and commercial art world. In fact traditional fine art and woodwork prepared me for the field of CGI. Creating texture for digital surfaces is much like painting and building the geometry in 3D is much like building wood structures. Also I drew on my knowledge in film when it came to lighting CGI subjects. And being a naturally animated person, well, understanding movement on the computer was not too much of a challenge. In essence I took all my knowledge of traditional art and brought it to CGI. Perhaps this is why my CGI images look so painterly. After graduation I began working on large format CGI in print format. I printed on various surfaces with master printers in NYC. I preferred printing on watercolor paper at the time.

Earthly

ART:Jamaica: Does this difference in working method affect as well as enable your artistic process?

GA Gardner: Those of us who were born before the CGI era may find that it is better to sketch first before getting on the computer or to experiment with color using paint and brush before experimenting with digital colors. In essence the computer to me must mimic what I have in mind not vice versa. I find that I always gravitated towards traditional fine arts methods to resolve issues in the CGI world.

ART:Jamaica: You also have quite a large body of collages that incorporate the act of painting and manual dexterity as well as editing. How have the collages allowed you to develop ideas that the CGI work didn't allow. Tell us about your process in making these collages.

GA Gardner: Doing CGI was a very long process for me. I had to build the images and geometry of the figures, pose them, create texture, light them and spend all day at the printers working on getting them to look right color wise. It is rewarding but long. In that world I was more of a purist. I did not want any paint or traditional tools to meddle with the final print. It was purely an archival CGI print. It is somewhat of a sterile process. I later begin working on collages and this to me was the opposite of the spectrum. It required me to get loose with the image to rip parts of a perfectly good photo or text, to incorporate hand written messages, and to most importantly paint on the surface. I was breaking out of the box I was taught in school. I was messing things up if only to focus on the message, as opposed to leaving things clean to the point where the technique often overrides the message. When I create a collage I am more free to do anything. I may start with an underpainting or an abstract background. I then begin building on that surface from background to foreground. I love working on wood as it allows me even more freedom to add various elements to the surface such as nails or metal. I don't alway go there but I like the idea that I can go there if if I wish. Ironically, I try to stay off the computer gathering my raw materials from magazines, posters, and printed material. I try to cut them up, paying close attention to color, lighting directions, and scale. I cut across cultural, racial and ethnic lines, I am looking for what fits well together to tell my story. Or in some cases what strongly opposes that creates tension. Selection is a big part of the process.

Idol

ART:Jamaica: In the collages there can be seen influences of other contemporary artists such as Wangechi Mutu, Ellen Gallagher and also references to Romare Bearden. How do you see your work in relation to the work of these other artists?

GA Gardner: Wow, I like them all. They are all doing great work. Each of them is using college to allow people to see the same thing differently. We are all somewhat surreal in our approach to creating images. We are all so different yet still we incorporate similar elements. Romare Bearden made giant steps in validating collage as a fine art form and I am inspired by his success.

ART:Jamaica: Having experience of working in painting, mixed-media and digital media how does the idea of a 'collage aesthetic' represent your ideas and content.

GA Gardner: Collage allows me to connect cross-cultural, cross ethnic forms and identities and blend them on the surface. It gives me freedom to transform and metamorphosis traditional visual perspectives in ways that create new and enriched interpretations of reality.

Foster Mother and Child

ART:Jamaica: Can you discuss some of the core stories and ideas behind your collage images: 'Black-faced' and 'Foster Mother & Child.'

GA Gardner: Opposing images often brings tension. It is the notion that one doesn't fit well with the other and looks out of place. In examining these image the two parts are equally strong thus the tension is greater. This is the same for "Black-faced" as it is with "Foster Mother & Child" We have a figure that is full of history. It is somewhat disturbing for folks to see but if you don't see color then it is not complicated and there isn't any tension. That is the problem and that is why it is gets in your head because we see color first and second you see an unconventional roll being played out. "Foster Mother & Child" is more of a Madonna like figure with the moon behind her in an angelic position and she is nursing her foster child. In an ideal race free world there should be nothing questionable about that.

GA Gardner is a Trinidadian artist and you can see more of his work and view his information here

What meaning do you find in these images?

Light Sensitive

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:06:00 +0000

Stefan and Camille

Marlon James's images are striking.
The eyes, the faces, the stares won't quit. The images live with you as you think about what era the images are from, who the people are and how they relate to each other. There is something captured which is much more intense than found in everyday encounters or maybe it is that his timing and technique are superb.

Mark and Gisele

In 2010, James' images were shown at two major surveys of West Indian/ Caribbean Art. In fact the latter exhibition, Wrestling with the Image, is still open at the Art Museum of the Americas in Washington D.C. His image of two young artists standing side by side staring out at the audience has become the poster image of the show. In a sense it is very representative of what we know of 'The Caribbean Spirit' with hints of defiance but with great insight into the personas. One thing that can be noticed is the contrast in the heritage of the two individuals in this solitary but intimate scene. However this is very basic to that Caribbean experience as skin color, gender, and other external classifications are often not important in the connections we form with others who share a vision or an understanding. In looking at the two, we think about what connection these two have to each other, what their creative work might be and how they view the world individually and as a collective unit.

James shared some information about his process and work in general:

Jabari

'To answer your first question, my set up is either an arrangement of one to three lights, this is all dependent on the mood that I wish to convey in the photograph. When I first started this project I used only film. The camera that I was using was a Mamiya 645 Pro TL, a medium format film SLR. I now use a Canon Mark II 5D.
For your second question, I have always been drawn towards the the human body. It is and will always be my primary subject. I feel there is so much to explore when photographing people. From the details of their skin, to the language of their bodies.

My work in the past 2-4years was focused on the anatomy of the body, both male and female. I mainly focused on the female as I felt that women were more open towards exploration than their male counterpart.

What's next? Well I am presently continuing my project on portrait of artists, for which my ultimate intention is to publish a coffee-table book of these photographs of Jamaica's art world.'

What story do you think the images tell?

Visit James's site here

The lure of International Art Centres (IACs)

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 07:29:00 +0000

Wanting to think about some drawings I have been doing I wanted to see where my work fit in with some of the artists whose work I really relate to. In that search I came across a Kenyan blog with a post on Wangechi Mutu. I really enjoy her work as it is really aesthetically pleasing and seems to meld Western aesthetics with images that reflect and challenge ideas about African imagery. The work is political but bathed in the glow of beauty so it makes me want to just look. While enjoying that act of looking, ideas, stories and questions seep in.

However the issue at hand was that the writer of this article was taking a Canadian art critic to task. The said critic, Murray Whyte was not in agreement of The Art Gallery of Ontario's expenditure to mount a major show for a non-Canadian artist. Of course the writer for 'Breaking News Kenya' found this ever so slightly offensive if not more. I bring this up as a post because Caribbean artists may or may not find that many grants and opportunities for exhibiting close to the International Art Centres (IACs)*, mostly found in 'developed' nations, are directed towards citizens. This can prove frustrating at times as the Caribbean artist goal is to exhibit work in these IACs.

On the one-hand viewpoints like Whyte's find validation in that the country's taxpayers support the institutions that curate culture. In a manner of speaking it can be understood as an agreement with taxpayers to pooling resources to ensure that for e.g. Canadian Art becomes globally recognised. ....But that may only cover one side of the equation. A country's museums and galleries also bare the responsibility of putting on exhibitions that show new and global perspectives and expose that country's people to other world views and ideas. I add this because surely those creatives who can undertake dialogues about the world and 'ART' extends beyond artists within the borders of any one particular country. Surely the importance of an artists voice depends on more than their classification as a citizen of a particular nation.

What do you think about this? The link to the original article is below. Do you feel that location, citizenship etc. privileges an artists success within International Art Centres of the world?

This being said as I consider whether relocating to an IAC such as London or New York or Paris or Tokyo etc. may be a better career move than living and working in our hometown. What do you think about this: Do you feel that the Art World is globalizing meaning an artist could live anywhere in the world and still gain exposure or is it that the main International Art Centres remain as edgy because they are attracting more international artists? What about citizenship-clause policies like Whyte's as discussed above?

Comment below to give your feedback and checkout the Breaking News Kenya article. See more about Wangechi Mutu's work on Youtube.

*The term 'IACs', abbreviated from International Art Centres was coined by myself and I am not necessarily aware of it as an official phrase or jargon in use within the field.

What I think I should do in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:17:00 +0000

So its really late to say this, but Happy New Year to ART:Jamaica readers and followers, far and wide. Every year, I try to think about the things that I can do in the year. Last year, I wanted to work on doing some longer more insightful pieces and interviews as slowly I tried to build the catalogue of what this blog does. There are several things that I can and can't do based on my distance away from the Caribbean. However I think it gives me a chance to do things that are less dependent on location.

This year, I want to take the opportunity to do shorter pieces more often and on specific areas e.g. review of art pieces, the way exhibitions are created, the mechanics of being an artist etc. This year I am also looking to expand unto YouTube! I am really excited about that. So here is a call for persons with related events and exhibitions etc. happening this year to add them to the comments of this post or on the Facebook page.

So thats what I think I should be doing this year but feel free to suggest as well and we'll see what we can make work.

Best
Oneika

N.B. If leaving your contact below for your own ID protection please use this format 'username(at)emailprovider.com'
Also comments are now moderated so they are recieved and reviewed by me before being published to the page so don't worry about losing your entry.

ghostly white

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 16:21:00 +0000

ARTSBAR@Rissei is an annual large exhibition of student work from art majors around the Osaka and Kyoto area of Japan. It was also an opportunity to have your works seen by future collectors and other art lovers. It was good to see how much dedication was put into the show by the students, in fact the craftsmanship was quite high in many of the works but that is something I do notice here in Japan. There is great commitment to making something which even if it obeys its own aesthetic of simplicity or handicraft, is often technically lovely. I walked through the halls of the now abandoned Rissei Elementary school with its creaking board floors and long dark passages and thought I could see a pattern. Perhaps I was finding an aesthetic or cultural perspective or perhaps it was my outsiders reading of it. Below I have put some of the works that seemed to come together in its own theme. There were many others of note but for this purpose, being selective will illustrate more clearly.

Tomoko Tamura 田村　智子

Ashida Fuuma 芦田　風馬

Above, Hashimoto Tomonari 橋本　知成
Below, Kazusato Ooishi 大石　かずさと

There was a aura about the works that was repeated in the way the work was made and composed. A feeling of it being just barely there, fleeting, a thought realized for a moment and a feeling of a presence. In works such as the school desks made out of tracing paper, a school desk made out of barely perceptible wire, paper houses in old wash stands, portraits made out of melting ice, your thoughts could hover between wonder at the ease of destruction and wonder that the work had the strength to exist as is.

In other works there was a strong feeling of discomfort at being in the same space with it but also an inability to look away because of its strikingness. A gigantic and monstrous baby doll which you realise might just as easily come to life, when you think about it in the context of films like Tottoro or Spirited Away.

Artist Currently Unknown

The work indeed seemed delicate and precious but also acted as some kind of transport to a time or place or a memory. Of course uses of colour is also a main contributor to this. Colour is often kept quite limited by utilizing only the raw materials and maybe slightly enhancing them. So the use of white and fragile or transforming materials seems to be what the future art stars in Japan lean towards. I wonder if the art market is so fine tuned now that we can actually forecast trends for the next season like the fashion industry does?

Kimura Kento 木村　健人

Whether it is cultural aesthetic or trending there I think there may be a coming strand of contemporary art that goes beyond the coolness of minimalism. Work which is quiet and reflective but also uncanny in a way that you feel in the pit of you stomach. Work which bears an aura I refer to as being ghostly white.

Sai Jyungyoku 崔　じゅんぎょく

I am wondering what the trends or developing aesthetic in the various Caribbean islands are like now...

Does it still hurt? Should it still hurt?

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 02:59:00 +0000

Walking through a trendy artsy student area one lazy Sunday in Kyoto, I entered this famous bookstore that is a famous landmark in the area. I found many interesting things, graphic zines, rare comics, out of print journals etc. Stacked to the gills with narrow passages in the way many bookstores are here, I came to the children's book section. Glanced down and saw Chibi Kuro Sanbo staring back at me.

The title in my limited scope of Japanese can be read as Little Black Sambo. I looked at Sambo for a while and he looked at me. Not sure of what my reaction should be. I stood there thinking that I am expected to have a reaction right or is that outdated in 2010? If I am not certain about my reaction, maybe I should have none but by having none am I agreeing to Chibi Kuro Sanbo; and thereby disregarding all that forefathers passed through so that I may be able to stand in Kyoto leisurely looking at this book? By now I could spy the bookseller looking at me either curiously or nervously.

My question is, what would you do, is it meaningless and outdated to feel something about these stereotypes seeping back into daily life. If my objection to it is not going to interrupt the importance in this culture then how do I regard it? Are our reactions programmed expectations or do we have a valid point? Can it be explained away as part of the 'kawaii' cute culture in Japan and therefore harmless? ...and in a country where in most rooms you will often be the only person of colour can we expect a reaction to be understood or even heard?

I was thinking about these things all that time. I still had not much of a real emotion so took a photo instead.

Figurines seen in restaurant windows in Teramachi shopping district, Kyoto

Alice Yard 4 x 4 Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:55:00 +0000

Alice Yard celebrates it 4th anniversary with a collection of events.
PRESS RELEASE
http://aliceyard.blogspot.com/

ALICE YARD FOURTH ANNIVERSAY CELEBRATION EVENTS
DATE: FRIDAY 24^th September – October 1st
September 2010 is Alice Yard’s fourth anniversary as an independent space for creative experiment. This year we mark the occasion with 4x4, a programme of events focusing on Alice Yard’s regional network, and our creative collaborators in four specific Caribbean locations: the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, and Suriname.
What’s On in the Main Galleries (the Box, Annex and Band-room Nook):
The exploration of digital photo- and video-based work is a significant recent trend among younger Jamaican artists. Shot in Kingston assembles work by Marvin Bartley, Keisha Castello, Stefan Clarke, Marlon James, O’Neil Lawrence, Ebony Patterson, and Oneika Russell, curated by Christopher Cozier and O’Neil Lawrence.
The Galleries are open on:
Friday 17 September (7.00 to 9.00 pm); Saturday 18 September (7.00 to 9.00 pm, when Cozier will be available for informal conversation about the works); and Wednesday 29 September (8.00 to 10.00 pm), or by special request.
Friday 24 September: Outward reach
Alice Yard’s Caribbean network includes independent contemporary art institutions in the Bahamas and Suriname. Artists John Cox of Popopstudios in Nassau and Marcel Pinas of the Kibii Wi Foundation in Moengo join Christopher Cozier in a conversation about regional collaborations and future possibilities. 8.00 pm
Monday 27 September: Heino Schmidt: Equilibrium
Bahamian artist Heino Schmidt has been living and working at Alice Yard since May 2010, supported by a Commonwealth Connections International Arts Residency. Equilibrium is a new work created during his time in Port of Spain, also presented at the 2010 Liverpool Biennial. 8.00 pm
http://heinoschmid.com/

Wednesday 29 September: O’Neil Lawrence on the Kingston scene O’Neil Lawrence is an artist and curator at the National Gallery of Jamaica. He will give an informal talk on current trends in Jamaica and the artists included in Shot in Kingston. 8.00 pm
Friday 1 October: Sheena Rose and Lauren Hinds
Barbadian Sheena Rose was artist in residence at Alice Yard in May 2009, when she presented her animated video work Town. She recently participated in a residency and exhibition in Cape Town.Lauren Hinds is a Trinidadian artist working in the medium of the graphic novel. She recently completed a year-long programme at the Centre for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont. Rose and Hinds will spend a week working together, then present their collaborative project to the public, together with recent solo works. 8.00 pm
Further details of each event will be posted at the Alice Yard website during the 4x4 programme.
Please check for times and updates.
About Alice Yard
80 Roberts Street, Woodbrook
Alice Yard Space is a small gallery in the backyard of 80 Roberts Street--a nine-by-seven-by-ten-foot concrete and glass box designed by architect Sean Leonard, which opens in September 2007. It is just large enough to fit an artist's installation, a video work, a few drawings or paintings. Since September 2006, Alice Yard has been home to a series of weekly Friday-night "Conversations", bringing musicians, artists, writers, and audiences together for informal performances and interactions. The gallery now creates the possibility for another kind of conversation, by offering contemporary artists a space to show a carefully selected piece of recent work, or even work in progress. The concept evolved from a conversation between Sean Leonard and artist Christopher Cozier, and through a series of drawings in a sketchbook they shared over a period of six months. They conceived of a modest space where artists can experiment with ideas and works not normally feasible in a commercial gallery. They are inviting other artists to join in their sketchbook conversation, as it were, and also inviting viewers into the process. Alice Yard Space asks questions about the relationship between artists and their community, outside the conventional bounds of the art market (but not oblivious to commercial concerns).
About the show’s main curator and Alice Yard administrator Christopher Cozier
Christopher Cozier is an artist and writer living and working in Trinidad. He has participated in a number of exhibitions focused upon contemporary art in the Caribbean and internationally. Since 1989 he has published a range of essays on related issues in a number of catalogues and journals.

He is on the editorial collective of Small Axe, A Caribbean Journal of Criticism, published and distributed by Duke University Press. He is the editor of sxspace a blog platform about the visual on the small axe website. The artist has been an editorial adviser to BOMB magazine for their Americas issues (Winter, 2003, 2004 & 2005). The artist is a Senior Research Fellow at the Academy of The University of Trinidad & Tobago (UTT) and was Artist-in-Residence at Dartmouth College during the Fall of 2007 .
He co-curatored the exhibition Paramaribo Span , Suriname 2010 , recently showed his work Tropical Night in AFRO MODERN at the Tate, Liverpool, 2010, Sound System II at the recently concluded Rockstone and Bootheel: Rockstone and Bootheel: Contemporary West Indian Art in Hartford , Conneticut and is the 2010 Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival commissioned artist. His work “NOW SHOWING” is the 2010 festival image.

-Info and Photo supplied by Richard Rawlins

What to do if you are an artist.

noreply@blogger.com (Oneika Russell) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:33:00 +0000

So you're an artist and there are many things they didn't teach you in art school. Many things you have to figure out for yourself. The thing is that if you happen to be living in a world capital this isn't as much a problem as the art world may be bigger and more accessible or at least there is more of it. What if you don't live in an art capital or what if figuring it out is a steep learning curve ....

Emma Taylor on accreditedonlinecolleges.com has compiled a stellar list of videos from TED which discuss Art. TEDtalks drew my attention on YouTube over a year ago. Suddenly ideas and knowledge that wasn't always easy to find or understand was compiled into manageable videos online. They take the form of the expert presenting their research or field of study in engaging ways. These experts are from many fields e.g. social sciences, media, design, arts, biological research and the list goes on. There have been a number of art world professionals and top dogs making presentations and sharing insider knowledge. So now thanks to Emma you have this info at your finger tips.

20 Awe-Inspiring TED Talks for Artists & Designers