Jamaica 2009 National Festival Art Exhibition opens
ON Sunday, July 19, at 3:00p.m., the National Visual Arts Competition and Exhibition is scheduled to open at the National Gallery in Kingston, and will continue till August 22. On show will be a new collection of 218 award-winning works, by 70 new artists. The works include paintings, drawings, and sculptures.
The exhibition, results from collaboration between the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) and the National Gallery, and is being sponsored by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and Digicel Jamaica.This juried exhibition and competition, popularly known as the Festival Exhibition, has been held annually in Jamaica since 1963 as part of the Independence Festival.
It has been critical in the development of post-Independence art, especially in the unearthing of new talent. Since 2007, the exhibition has been hosted at the National Gallery, in collaboration with the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, the organizers of Festival.
Open to all artists in Jamaica the exhibition comprises adult and youth sections, in the categories of painting, works on paper, sculpture/assemblage, ceramics, fiber art, photography and video art.
The youth section is further divided according to age groups: 11 years and under; 12 - 14 years; and 15 - 18 years.
In addition to the medals and sectional awards, which were already awarded and announced during the opening function on July 19, there is also a Prize of the Public, which is based on a closed ballot voting process. The public will participate by selecting the winner of the Viewers’ Vote Prize by visiting the Gallery any day until August 8th, and completing the ballot forms provided.
This year over 900 submissions were made by over 500 entrants. JCDC Visual Arts specialist San Rose-Savage says this is more than a ten percent increase in submissions from last year, and says it may be attributed to a number of sensitization workshops that were held from March to May this year.
Following the competition and exhibition which closes August 22, artists will gain exposure as priority, through the travelling exhibitions in Port Maria, Montego Bay and Mandeville slated between September and December.
The exhibition can be viewed until August 22, during the gallery’s regular opening hours as follows: Tuesdays to Thursdays -10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Fridays -10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Saturdays between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” — Winston Churchill
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Jamaican-born author exposes 'Deadly Instincts.'
Hi! This is just one sample of my artwork.
I am always fascinated with the JCDC Visual Arts Competition. I was preparing a piece for entry 9 years ago, but my mom visited and asked for my painting. Unfortunately, immigration told her she had to check it in, and the painting was never again seen!
Kudos to the JCDC, and all the persons responsible for showcasing the talents of our family-Jamaicans.