The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport yesterday launched the Guyana Visual Arts Competition and Exhibition.
Minister of Culture, Dr. Frank Anthony said that there have been calls for such a competition and pointed out that it continues the tradition of the National Exhibition of the Visual Arts, which was last held in 1994. He said that Guyana is not short of talent. “We’re one of the leading countries when it comes to our art,” he said. The official launching took place at the Office of the President.
President Donald Ramotar is the patron of the competition.
The new competition is meant to be more than a forum for the judging and display of artwork, and in this regard, it will have some special features which are meant to enhance its developmental impact, officials said.
The first competition will be judged during the week of December 8-15, 2012, and will be immediately followed by the exhibition of the entries and winners.
One of the persons involved in the organising of the competition, Alim Hosein, said that it will be held biennially, with artwork produced within the two-year span being eligible for each competition. However, for the 2012 competition only, works produced over the last five years – between November 2007 and November 2012 – will be eligible. The competition will be judged in six categories: Painting, Drawing, Sculpture, Textiles, Ceramics and Photography by a panel of five judges, which includes persons from Guyana and abroad who are well-experienced in the field of the Visual Arts. Works may be entered on any theme of the artists’ choice, and executed in any style they choose. Entrants have to be 16 years or older.
Cash prizes of $500,000, $300,000 and $200,000 will be awarded for the first, second and third places in each category. In addition, gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded. The winner of the Promise Award will take home $200,000 plus a bronze medal. The competition and exhibition is open to all artists who are Guyanese by birth or naturalisation. Artists may submit up to a total of three entries, either in one category, or in a combination of categories. Entries must be suitably mounted where applicable, and must be accompanied by the official registration form.
According to officials, the competition and exhibition will be part of a week of activities which will specially focus on the visual arts.
These activities will include a master-class for artists conducted by one or more of the judges, and a public lecture, also delivered by one of the judges. Another feature of the competition is that a special “Promise Award” will be given to a young artist (age 25 years or younger) who the judges believe should be encouraged because of his or her outstanding talent shown in the works displayed.
Those interested can obtain copies of the registration forms and the rules and regulations for the competition from the E.R. Burrowes School of Art, Carifesta Avenue from Monday or online at www.mcys.gov.gy. The closing date for entries is Friday, November 2. Entries must be submitted to the Burrowes School of Art no later than 3 pm on the closing date.
Anthony said that they feel this will add impetus to the development of the arts in Guyana.
Ramotar said that hopefully the competition will lift further the quality of work and will attract other artists “who have not made themselves known as yet.” He said that he believes that Guyana has the material to produce really high quality work.
