THE SABA ARTICLE ON ARTIST MAKEMBA'S PRESENTATION.

THE SABA ARTICLE ON ARTIST MAKEMBA'S PRESENTATION.
JOUVAY LASSUPA

The  article below by Amon Saba Saakana, pulled at several things that interested me:
1. The idea of the house
2. The idea of the community that was presented by the Studio 66 community.
3. The deconstruction and reconstruction of the artists within community.
4. Revolutionizing the presentation of the product.

It is some thing that I have been in discussion with my colleagues for sometime now. On those Fridays or whatever afternoon that we sit or meet in conversation about the things that we do; how do we do it; why do it, why continue to do it (someday I will like to post something on the why we do this).

The presentation of Makemba's painting last Sunday presented part of the answer.

As artists' continue their negotiation for nurturing space with the state and the state's creation of the -

Trinidad and Tobago
Creative Industries Company.

I have always commented that we need to deconstruct the way we do and present our work  alongside the same vibration of  our own communities and other communities.

I have told Sean that when we see the prostitutes or the transvestites (who use the nearby park as their office and are practically his neighbours) sitting down in one of Alice Yard's many cultural conversations we know that we're doing something right.

Well you know that I can't speak about community without not mentioning The Sculptural Playground Project which will be my attempt to speak about the presentation of the artists' ideas in relation to communities and the role of -

ART-DESIGN.

in the re-formulation of how people interact with our work and the reconstruction of how the political, philosophical and economic system of the art/design product OPERATES.

WE NEED TO BUILD COMMUNITY ART-DESIGN ARCHITECTURE THAT RESPONDS NOT ONLY TO THE COLONIAL PAST, BUT TO SERIOUS PERSONAL HIS/HERSTORIES.

This was what I attempted to bring up at the artists' meeting the other day... the building of community, is as important to any activism as the intervention of protest. Just because we sit with leaders of stakeholders groups, does not means that we have a community. Building the community means that we need to look at the formula of what has happened in Makemba's exhibition and to what Saba has alluded to in his article. But we need to carry it one step further, which will be the creation of the symbolic architecture of that new meaning of what the house can be in community. History becoming the walls, walls morphing into symbolic historical didactism. This is what came out to me. If anyone knows Studio 66 - it is a living space, a heart beating centre of people that is open to new footprints and voices, connected to very interesting cultural purpose.

PLEASE READ.     

Makenbas's painting.
ah forget the name,
But you can go down there and check it out.

Artist Makemba Kunle Presents His Jouvay Lassuppa

By Amon Saba Saakana

Story Created: Nov 23, 2012 at 11:39 PM ECT

Story Updated: Nov 23, 2012 at 11:39 PM ECT

Jamaica jumped ship from the proposed federation and Trinbago followed with the infamous words of Dr Eric Williams, "one from ten leaves nought," and he too plunged this twin-island state into political separatism.

Politicians are not trained to govern; they receive their training in other disciplines and are programmed to control and dictate in a "democratic" process that is relaunched every five years, when they make a magical appeal to the population that has little to do with reality than with winning votes. In any other profession they would have been justifiably characterised as "con" men and "charlatans."

But there is no union, governing body, for redress from malfunctioning politicians as there are for lawyers and doctors.

What does all this vitriolic prologue have to do with art and particularly that of Makemba Kunle?

Unknown person,Peter Minshall (artist/designer), Vel Lewis, another unknown person.
sorry  

The present "exhibition" titled Jouvay Lassuppa mounted at Studio 66, Barataria prominently featuring the new work of Makemba Kunle has also subtly interwoven into the working fabric of the production a Pan-Caribbean, Pan-African workforce.

The architectural designer of the space is Makemba's Jamaican son-in-law, architect/designer Lionel Spence, aided by his Jamaican colleague, Kemar Rodney.

Spence not only designed the project but oversaw the implementation of his design ideas with builder Ukambi.

Some of his art workers included Turunesh (Ethiopian), Bill Trotman, Barry Walkins, Rafiki Morris (African American), Bandele (UK/Trinbago) and Nigel Parris who constituted the core.

These were augmented seasonally by Congo, Eddie Romany, and concretised by the skillful management of "diplomat" Babu Ketema, a diffident arts worker who subsumes the "cause" better than most, and Onika.

Also included were stones collected by Congo from Grand Reviere to create a design, which, in the end, was an ancestral shrine, with sculptured clay heads of humans and animals as the surface of the sacre funerary space and the soft drippings of a waterfall. There was also bamboo cut in differing lengths to create a natural environment for hanging pictures, plastic sheeting which covered coloured plastic strips as screen, etc. a number of art pieces was also specially created to complement the locus of the exhibition with abstract painted motifs and dressed figures, cups, glasses, ceramic pieces, etc.

The cumulative effect of this monumental effort is that it reverts atavistically to the African tradition in which art is not seen as an expression of the separated individual but from the collective consciousness of the community.

Traditional house building in Africa, as well as royal and noble art, is done this way, thus an "exhibition" may well be the wrong choice of word to describe what this spectacle represents.

Naturally, the work of Makemba Kunle is central to the spectacle but the environmental device of location is what is so stimulating and unusual for art houses in Trinbago.

This undoubtedly has revolutionised art presentation in our artistic environment, and may well lead to the development of a new aesthetic which is located in the honouring of ancestors as mediative force in our proceedings, since it is our ancestors upon whose testable contributions to our living space we have inherited and inhabit.

Makemba Kunle as artist has been groping towards realisation of a form of artistic expression that could structure his creative intuition and unresolved spiritual ambivalence.

In this production, the result of two years work, he has finally realised what was before an unresolved intuition. He has now standardised an impressive set of work (70) which is organically linked by themes peopled by signs, molecular perception of the cosmos and the translation of spiritual intuition, and runs through the space to two adjoining houses.

How is this realised?

Kunle's work incorporates lines not as a central design element as in the work of others but as an indecipherable artifice in the construction of his universe. Lines represent concrete reality: buildings and earth creatures.

Kunle's initial point is the point of the dot, as in the art of house painting among southern african women. The dot is infinite and non-linear while the line is earthly and of a limited horizon.

The dot connects billions in an expanding universe, invisible but tangible under a microscope or spiritually intuited.

This sets this art up as a connective, interactive, communing experience (jouvaylassupper).

Though the human eyes cannot penetrate into our atmosphere, it is nevertheless made up of molecular structures (the core of our universe) and electromagnetic waves that may influence moods and natural phenomena (the moon moves water, for example).

These are perceptually expressed by the artist as a series of dots that are seen to people every organic form of our universe. in the articulation of this science of art or art of science.

Kunle has also expressed levels of consciousness through communication of signs. Peter Minshall, master designer, alluded to the relationship between community and communication in his delivery at the opening of the exhibition.

Signs are primordial markers of humanity through the ages communicating to others ideas of perception and apprehension, of experience.

Spiritual intuition is bound up with the unexplainable phenomenon that occurs through dreams, coincidences, diverse yet linked pathways, visitations, sensing of concrete reality yet expressed subliminally.

All these considerations are central to the realisation of self in community and communion, the sharing of a drink, food, the giving of a gift, the acceptance and giving of unsolicited advice, the single act that is experienced ephemerally yet constituting a new departure and development in the artistic psyche. Community and communication are twin placentas of distillation of consciousness, of shared journeys, of nebulous or pivotal links.

Politicians cannot fathom a journey that does not necessarily culminate in the amassing of monetary rewards, but the artist, striving for community, working towards a holistic and re-engineered selfhood, can be used as a measure of nudity before god and humanity and evokes and conjures up the image of the philosopher-priest which only the truly gifted and the truly cleansed can stake a claim to and dare to call into being.

The exhibition continues till December 9 and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Studio 66 is located at 66 Sixth Street, Barataria.

 

THE CULTURAL POLICY, THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES COMPANY, THE ARTISTS AND THE SCULPTURAL PLAYGROUND PROJECT

Young man running through the obstacle course.
Sculptural Playground Project(c)

THE CULTURAL POLICY,

THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES COMPANY,

THE ARTISTS

AND

THE SCULPTURAL PLAYGROUND PROJECT.

HERE ARE LINKS TO THE BUDGET INITIATIVES THAT WERE VANISHED TO MAKE TRACKS FOR DEREK CHIN AND BUSINESSMEN TO RUN:

Approved sector items in the 2011 Budget: http://artistscoalition.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/ideas-from-expert-panel.pdf

Approved sector items in the 2010 Budget: http://artistscoalition.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/cultural-sector-year-1-plan.pdf

 

 

LETS START HERE.
(WHAT DE F*#K IS
FALL WINTER -these dam middle class)
WITH THIS
CUT OUT FROM ONE OF OUR POPULAR DAILIES.

IT IS HOPED THAT THE CULTURAL POLICY WILL BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THIS SPIRALING DECAY OF OUR PERSONAL
INTELLECTUAL,
AND
POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE
WE LIVE ONE FOOT HERE AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY IN THE OTHER WORLD.

WE HAVE LOST IT.

READING THE CULTURAL POLICY.

IT IS NO WAY ADDRESSING THIS

THIS CULTURAL POLICY NEEDS A SPINE.

IN
ENTITLEMENTS - 1, 4, 5, 6 
AREA OF FOCUS - 3, 4
METHODS - 7-C - 3-B

HAVE MENTIONED EDUCATION.

BUT IT REFUSES TO MENTION WHAT THIS EDUCATION WILL LOOK LIKE.

HOW IT WILL OPERATE
IN DEVELOPING THE KIND OF SKILLED CULTURAL WORKER WE WANT.

AS IT IS NOW THERE IS RANK IGNORANCE THAT EXIST IN THIS SPACE.

THE CULTURAL POLICY AS IT IS,
DOES NOT WANT TO RECTIFY THIS.

I WENT TO THE SCIENCE, THECNOLOGY POLICY CONSULTATION AND THEY MENTIONED THAT IN THERE CONSULTATION WITH OTHER STAKE HOLDERS, THEY HAVE RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING AN INNOVATIVE SPACE.

AT THE CULTURAL POLICY CONSULTATION THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO STEP ON THE TOES OF OTHER INSTITUTIONS.

WE NEED TO STATE THAT IF THE POLICIES THAT ARE BEING PUSHED AT THIS TIME.
THE GENDER POLICY,
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY,
THE ENVIRONMENTAL OR FORESTRY POLICY
(WHICH WAS HELD IN SOUTH),
THE CULTURAL POLICY.

PRESENTS THAT EDUCATION IS AN ALL IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR OUR DEVELOPMENT.

THEN EDUCATION WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF
EDUCATION

HUMAN EDUCATION

NOT THIS PASS AH EXAM KINDAH TING
DAT PASSING FOR
EDUCATION HERE.

 

 

THIS WAS TAKEN FROM NEWSDAY SECTION B,
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2012.
PAGE 15.

THIS TELLS THE VERY STORY OF EXCLUSION,
DISINTEREST,
PROCESS
AND
POLITICS.
"persons desirons of commenting on the issue can do so on the charlotteville beachfront movement facebook page (google)"

 

 

THE ARTIST MEETING

Monday the 19^th November 2012, I sat in the Little Carib Theatre, where I listened to the unfolding drama that sits at the door steps of the artists community. I listened to the soap opera of political intrigue, ambition, mobilization and betrayal. I listened to the sweat that artists have committed to the development of cultural structures  being cut out from under their feet, artists being threatened and hustled to abandon their post, abandon their artistic children, their dreams.

The stories that came, isn’t new ... its been here ever since.

Yesterday on the radio I listened to a caller speak about the exclusion of the originator of the original proposal for the job fair, WHICH WAS HELD IN THE SAVANNAH

 That day I’m also hearing about political exclusion.

I have heard the same story from crafts men apply for loans, that their loans will go through only of they consider bringing in one of the bankers friends as an investor.

I have listened to the story of artists who have given up their ideas only to see their loan application be denied and their idea manifest under strange circumstances under another name.

But hearing it now in this collective whole sale way from the state conglomerating everything under the guise of national patrimony in some form of capitalization and mutual benefit for the artists is very problematic and smacks at the heart of reverse slave trade/indenturship.

The idea of the body doing the work, while a business elite profit from the back, sweat, blood, intellectual and political sovereignty of artists under the guise of the Creative Industries Company.

IS CAPITALIST SLAVERY.

 

    

ah HEARING WORDS LIKE
INDEPENDENCE OF ARTISTS,
SUSTAINABILITY,
BUSINESS  MODEL ETC.
STRATEGIC,
NEGOTIATE,
EAT AH FOOD,
EAT DE FOOD,
TAKE DE FOOD,
THE BUCK STOPS HERE,
THERE WITH THIS
CREATIVE INDUSTRYCOMPANY
TING.

THIS IS SERIOUS ON ALL LEVELS.

IF WE'RE TO BUILD A CIVILIZATION WE MUST UNDERSTAND PROPER
PROCESS IN REACHING 
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT.
DESIGN BUSINESS.
 DESIGN INDUSTRY.

The artists who make it,
who feel they make,
they say that they built this without
state or any other economic involvement or third party situation.

that artists need to be independent and not rely on the state to eat ah food.

Must know, that is your story!
that isn't the story of
the other person.

one of the reasons for the creation of the Credit Union, was to offer alternatives.

Government
has a right to foster a fertile environment that will create the artists that will rise to their fullest potential.
to be independent,
to build without any third party help.

we deserve that!

THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY GET TAX BREAKS,
THEY GET INDUSTRIAL PARKS,
THEY GET VENTURE CAPITAL,
LOANS ARE WRITTEN OFF.
APPLE GET AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ENCOURAGES,
DEVELOPS.

WE DON'T!

SO LETS
UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.

AN ENVIRONMENT
WHERE MARLON
WILL DEVELOP AND BUILD HIS DESIGNS IN A SUPPORTIVE NURTURING SPACE,
INDEPENDANTLY,
SUSTAINABLY.

WHERE RICHARD CAN BUILD HIS MEGEE SCULPTURE.

WHERE DEAN CAN DEVELOP THE R&D SPACE.

HUMAN EDUCATION=ART/DESIGN
ART/DESIGN=PRODUCT
PRODUCT=MARKETING
MARKETING=ECONOMICS
ECONOMICS=DEVELOPMENT.

DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE HUMAN NOT STATE. 
 



FORM IS IMPORTANT.
WE CANT JUST START AS AH BIG MAN AND EXPECT TO MAKE PROPER IN ROADS.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE ABOVE.
OUR PROCESS IS TO PILE, THINGS ON TOP OF EACH OTHER IN THE HOPE THAT WE WILL GET COVERING.

WE NEED PROPER FORM AND PROCESS.
 THAT ISN'T TO SAY THAT WHAT WE SEE ABOVE DOESN'T HAVE THE PROPER DESIGN PROCESS THAT WILL MAKE IT STAND THE TEST OF TIME.

 

THE CULTURAL POLICY CONSULTATION.
Held at the Centre of Excellence.

THE SETTING HAD ONE
BANANA,
GRAPES,
KIWI

LOCAL CONTENT POLICY WILL STATE THAT THERE ARE
A BANANA,
AH MANGO,
AH GRAPE.