The Liguanea Festival of Fine Art and Photography (2009) which just wrapped up yesterday after a full day in the Kingston sun, is definitely a first timer's love. It was a burst of sweetness seeing the strictly operated, open-air parking lot of the Liguanea Plaza transformed into this organised chaos of pedestrian Art Land with distinct streets and avenues; formal couches sitting on the asphalt pavement and cool lyming bars so that you could stop, sit and take in the grand disbelief. It was a scene - I believe - straight out of none other an artist's imagination.
To expectation, the painters had a strong presence, but I remember them most because they effected a sense of a communal celebration of elements of the allure of the Jamaican landscape - its indigenous magic and textures, its people as precious. Old houses are captured surreal with charm and beauty; even the provocative 'generation now' held its place on canvas. The pride for things Jamaican climbed to fever- pitch. Photography too, as art, also had its presence. In fact, I counted no less than seven booths - maybe more - pitting strongly for sales against the painters and jewellers.
Festivals is definitely the way to pull out spenders in these slow down times. I know
that only an event or piece that rocks my soul or jabs my heart with sentiment will get me to shell out my scarce dollars these days. So for that the organisers of The Liguanea Festival of Fine Arts and Photography 2009 definitely get my props.
To expectation, the painters had a strong presence, but I remember them most because they effected a sense of a communal celebration of elements of the allure of the Jamaican landscape - its indigenous magic and textures, its people as precious. Old houses are captured surreal with charm and beauty; even the provocative 'generation now' held its place on canvas. The pride for things Jamaican climbed to fever- pitch. Photography too, as art, also had its presence. In fact, I counted no less than seven booths - maybe more - pitting strongly for sales against the painters and jewellers.
Festivals is definitely the way to pull out spenders in these slow down times. I know
that only an event or piece that rocks my soul or jabs my heart with sentiment will get me to shell out my scarce dollars these days. So for that the organisers of The Liguanea Festival of Fine Arts and Photography 2009 definitely get my props. On the other side however, had you attended the festival last year, you needn't have gone again yesterday। Nakazzi, Howard Moo Young, JIPO and a number of others were there again in pretty much the same spots, booths and streets with almost exactly the very wares you might have seen last year! This for me was disorienting! I think the exhibitors perhaps reckoned t
hat people like myself would not have been back this year and so didn't think to update their portfolio. Or maybe they thought we loved the pieces so much, they decided to give us another chance at buying them. Persons seemed to have enjoyed the painting workshop even at $1500 per head (kids) and $3000 (adults). Persons not able to afford those recession not-so-friendly prices, had a blast getting dirty in the mud, making clay pottery.
All in all, if youv'e never been - The Liguanea Festival of Fine Art and Photography is a nice bite for the aesthetically inclined. See you there next year.
S.S. on the ground, more time.
hat people like myself would not have been back this year and so didn't think to update their portfolio. Or maybe they thought we loved the pieces so much, they decided to give us another chance at buying them. Persons seemed to have enjoyed the painting workshop even at $1500 per head (kids) and $3000 (adults). Persons not able to afford those recession not-so-friendly prices, had a blast getting dirty in the mud, making clay pottery.All in all, if youv'e never been - The Liguanea Festival of Fine Art and Photography is a nice bite for the aesthetically inclined. See you there next year.
S.S. on the ground, more time.
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