amjamin

What do you get when you combine hollow construction blocks, plywood, car bonnets? A house and a car would be the answer in normal circumstances, but then, the final outcome of these materials is something out of the normal. The term ‘conversation piece’ takes a new dimension, with a splash of colour and the often poignant life stories highlighted in Jamaican street art comes to life at Anything with Nothing. “This exhibition is a dialogue,” said Charles Campbell, chief curator at the National Gallery of Jamaica, where the exhibition is being hosted. “The objective is to highlight and showcase the works of the street artists, looking not only at their work and talents, but the social and economic dynamics of the communities.” Street art in Jamaica is not the usual graffiti; they tell stories, circumstances and the challenges facing the artists. The challenge, in this case, was also bringing alfresco and self-determined expressions into a defined space. Works of 10 street art...

Mobile Suit Gundam “Whenever there were problems that could not be solved at work, we always said if Doraemon could come and fix them,” said Mieko Araki, cultural officer, Embassy of Japan, pointing to the caricature of the robotic cat from the future. Doraemon may never have come to Araki’s rescue, but the unequivocal faith and she and almost all Japanese have on the manga, (translated “impromptu sketches”), makes them more than cutie pies with cutie smiles and more profound than mere figurines of a plasticated pop culture. integral part of culture “These cartoons and characters are an integral part of Japanese culture,” Hiromoto Oyama, first secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Jamaica, who grew up eptomising the gigantic robot Manziger Z. “Through them,” Oyama continued, “we get reinforced key and core values and customs.” Oyama said that through manga, every Japanese learns the way of life, how to make friends and learn basic human instincts. Aspects of manga in ...

Taino Heritage by Norma Rodney-Harrack Taking a cue from Ralph Waldo Emerson, who once said, “Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your readings have been to you like the blast of a trumpet.” ’Tis a journey embracing the supreme being in its forms and manifestations. A mosaic of multicultural entities, Jamaica is home to as many denominations and beliefs, some potently evident, others subtle ­ like a spice mix, which exudes aromas and flavours of the island. ‘Explorations II: Religion and Spirituality’ seeks to explore those diversities, laying before creative conversations, expressions and interpretations of the two entities that are sacredly intertwined. “The series explores major themes in Jamaican art, and in the National Art Collection,” informed O’Neil Lawrence, senior curator at the National Gallery of Jamaica. “It aims to engage, in new, more exploratory ways with the artistic and cultural history of Jamaica.” Ancestral...

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world," said Mahatma Gandhi, Indian freedom fighter, apostle of peace. In his words, the change, begins from within, ten young artists are taking the step, to break stereotype, experiment and query. Displayed at the The National Gallery of Jamaica (NGJ) at New Roots: 10 Emerging Artists exhibition, the artists are out to make a bold statement, jumping out the box and breaking the proverbial glass ceiling. NCJ, in a bid to support and attract new and emerging talent has organised this exhibition. "The gallery is excited to unveil a show that will surprise, challenge and hearten the arts community and broader society," said Veerle Poupeye, executive director of NGJ. The exhibition features work by Deborah Anzinger, Varun Baker, Camille Chedda, Gisele Gardner, The Girl and the Magpie, Matthew McCarthy, Olivia McGilchrist, Astro Saulter, Nile Saulter and Ikem Smith. A walk through the exhi...

Hues of the yellow light dispersed on the hollow eyes of the Zemi, standing like a warrior enclosed in a glass frame, the large eye sockets of the mahogany figurine holds centuries of Jamaica's history buried in them. The Zemi, which were worshipped by the Taino, are part of the selection of the rich heritage housed in the Art in Jamaica, c. 1000-c. 1900 section at National Gallery of Jamaica in downtown Kingston. "These (artefacts) are priceless and (are a) deep-rooted representation of Jamaica's history," said Monique Barnett-Davidson, curatorial assistant in the education department at the National Gallery. The diversity of the exhibits - like the country's motto 'Out of Many, One People' is a confluence of cultures - commencing from the early Taino artefacts made of wood, chiselled into the early Spanish-Persian influence in limestone, dissipating on to canvas in geometrical perfection and symmetrical symphony. This artistic journey ...

For her work 'Dreaming Backwards' and 'Occupy' (Alchemy of Promise) Jasmine Thomas-Girvan, jeweller and sculptor, was awarded the 2012 Aaron Matalon Award. Jamaica-born Thomas-Girvan was born 1961. She attended the Parsons School of Design in New York. She has also made a number of public commissions, one of which was presented to the Queen of England. Her work has been exhibited in the United States, Jamaica, Trinidad, Venezuela and Mexico, and she recently had a solo exhibition, titled Resonance, at Hi-Qo Gallery in Kingston. She currently lives and works in Trinidad. "Over time my work has been expanding in scale and so one of the pieces is a wall piece 10 feet long, titled 'Dreaming Backwards'. This piece brings together many of the recurring themes in my work, referencing our collective history/memory, and is realised in materials which are environmentally relevant [such as a palm frond, bird feathers and man-made found objects]," ...

The breeze from the Kingston waterfront leads to the doorsteps of the National Gallery of Jamaica (NGJ), opening to a burst of elements of creative expression of Jamaican artists from across the world. With the moods ranging from subtle and gentle to those that shock, the 2012 Biennial encapsulates the myriad of statements. "In the Biennial, there is work that is playful, sombre, respectful, or provocative," said Dr Veerle Poupeye, executive director of NGJ. "This year," she continued, "we expanded the definition of "Jamaican artist" to include artists of Jamaican parentage - previously, we used (residents of) Jamaica or Jamaican born as the criteria. "We did so in recognition of the significant role played by the Jamaican diaspora in the development of what can be considered Jamaican culture, which is itself an increasingly diverse and transnational field." This wide view was reflected as one walked through the gallery, ...