amjamin

"The characters that we draw do not have any nationality. They are a work of unlimited imagination," professed Masami Suda, one of Japan's most prolific and famous animators and character designers. This, according to Suda, is a conscientious move away from the stereotype that everything from the east has to have an Oriental tinge to it. Suda is revered as sensei (teacher, master) of those colourful creations of the virtual world which have spread worldwide. In Japan, he said, these illustrated characters live beyond television screens and book leaves. "Anime and manga (loosely defined as animations and comic books) are an important part of Japanese life," the sensei said. "They live in the bloodstream of the people." Almost 40 per cent of magazines and books sold in Japan are manga, which have a market worth of over 448 billion yen (US$4.3 billion approximately). On a recent visit to Jamaica, Suda said he was impressed by the creative thoug...

Panoramic view of English Harbour from Shirley Heights Most potent mixtures come in small packages, it is said, and this could be true for a piece of heritage that is tucked away in Antigua. In Antigua and Barbuda, the visitor is invited to experience the 365 beaches, and, of course, the unofficial cricketing capital of the Caribbean. The drive to Nelson's Dockyard is replete with the scenic beauty of this eastern Caribbean island, just before the break of dawn, the smell of nature - foliage, dewdrops and the skies waking up to welcome the new day. The winding road leads to this sheltered marina, the masts of yachts anchored rising from the distance, Nelson's Dockyard is home to a range of structures, which house a museum, restaurant and a bakery, which is perched up on a hillock, accessed by stone path. Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua - cultural heritage site and marina in English Harbour On the steps of Dockyard Museum, which was the naval officer's and ...

Ska Vengers: Raghav 'Diggy' Dang; Stefan Flexi K, Tony Bass, Begum X, 'The Late' Nikhil Vasuedan, and Delhi Sultanate Think music and India - the image of damsels in their ethnic chic finery gyrating to the beat of percussions flashes in mind. But the home of Bollywood and the lip-smacking curry is whipping the tunes of ska. Begum X and Delhi Sultanate, lead singers of Ska Vengers, the new kids on the ska block from the heart of India's capital, breezed through Jamaica recently. "This trip is about absorbing the culture and the vibe from the birthplace of reggae and ska," exuded Begum X. The couple had their share of mystic, divine and serene eastern vibes to share as they sought to create a confluence of music in divergent cultures. "Music has the ability to bring people from different backgrounds together," said Delhi Sultanate. "So what I would really like to see is more alternative venues, more street dances etc." ...

'The Head' (right), one of the most intriguing photographs taken by Jamaican art photographer Ken Ramsay The soft lights reflected off the row of framed, black and white photographs, and as sun set in the distant horizon and the trees swayed in the cool evening breeze at Redbones Gallery in Kingston, the hues in the skies provided a creative perspective to the silhouettes and faces frozen in the frames. The occasion was to showcase and celebrate the works and life of Ken Ramsay, one of Jamaica's most prolific and well-known art photographers. "He always had different perspectives of life," recounted Anthony Bailey, Ramsay's nephew and one of the organisers of the exhibition. "This always reflected in whatever he did - from the riding boots and the scarf, which made a statement to his love and passion for capturing the beauty around him." Each piece of Ramsay's work, a heady mixture of creativity, craftsmanship and detail, has a story ...

Memorial to Jamaican soldiers who died in WW1 at Montego Bay Parish Church  Rays from the morning sun filtered through a patch of clouds, lighting up the inscription - "Remember the love of them who came not home from the War: 1914-1918". These poignant and sombre words are inscribed at the base of a 20-foot, whitewashed column at the Montego Bay Parish Church - a silent memorial to Jamaican soldiers from St James parish who lost their lives in World War I. Built in 1921, the Calvary, which has an octagonal base and column, in England, on the four panels at the base are inscribed the names of those who fell. "For me, World War I is personable, in that, if we search our family histories," said Captain Stacy-Marie Dehaney, force curator, Jamaica Defence Force, cleaning off a film of lime to get a better look at the names etched on the stone, "there is a good chance that you could come across a surname like your own in your parish," she remarked. T...

World War I Trench Mortar The gaping 240mm barrell of the trench mortar, riveted to the ground, points to the sky and looks as cold and menacing as it did a century back, spewing bombs that were notoriously called 'flying pigs', and the results were catastrophic. The trench mortar, among several other pieces of weaponry and effects, have found a final resting place in Jamaica. These are reminiscent of World War I, which changed the face of the world, and the science and art of warfare. "First thing that came to my mind was, 'I wonder what stories these can tell, where they saw action how they came here to Jamaica'," says Captain Staci-Marie Dehaney, force curator, Jamaica Defence Force (JDF). The Great War, spanning from 1914-1918, was entrenched, literally and figuratively, in testing the limits of human endurance and resilience. This is evident in the evolution of the warfare and the weaponry from that era - large and lethal. Though silent and r...

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...