{"id":183149,"date":"2017-05-15T10:48:18","date_gmt":"2017-05-15T14:48:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/?p=183149"},"modified":"2017-05-15T10:48:18","modified_gmt":"2017-05-15T14:48:18","slug":"commentary-the-relevance-of-the-visual-arts-in-dominica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/homepage\/features\/commentary\/commentary-the-relevance-of-the-visual-arts-in-dominica\/","title":{"rendered":"COMMENTARY: The Relevance of the Visual Arts in Dominica"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
A painting by Roger Burnett made at his Antrim studio as a life-class demonstration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The recent launch of Dominica\u2019s National Art Gallery begs the question: what is the relevance of the visual arts in Dominica.<\/p>\n

It is the same question that I made the subject of an evening panel discussion three years ago at my exhibition \u201cA New Lease of Life\u201d. The venue was the Old Mill, the five panellists were distinguished in the arts, and the event was free and widely publicised.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the answer was made conspicuously clear by audience attendance: no one showed up!<\/p>\n

It was the same story when I attempted to introduce a full-time Pre-Degree Course in the Visual Arts at the launch of the Dominica Institute for the Arts. The syllabus was based on an award winning course that I had contributed to in the UK. The fees matched those of the State College and twelve participants would have made the initiative financially viable. Anywhere else in the world students would have been queuing around the block to enrol. In Dominica there were no takers!<\/p>\n

More recently, I set up an interactive website specifically with Dominican CXC students in mind. But regardless of free tablets and internet access, my \u201cNotes for Art Students\u201d had virtually no local followers, nor any interest from the Department of Education. In contrast, my on-line diary pages (sculpturestudiodominica.blogspot.com) are accessed by thousands of students, artists and art lovers in over fifty countries beyond the Caribbean.<\/p>\n

I could add more examples, but let me get down to what I perceive is the reason for the apathy. Fundamentally, there is little understanding of what art is all about. In Dominica we tend to confuse art with culture. Culture is something we all do and feel comfortable with: it may instil pride but not necessarily deep thought; it preserves rather than creates. Art is individualistic and often controversial: it questions accepted beliefs and breaks new ground.<\/p>\n

Over a hundred years ago the American artist Robert Henri wrote:
\n\u201c\u2026You do not have to be a painter or sculptor to be an artist. Art, when really understood, is the province of every human being. Art Galleries will not make a country art conscious, but where there is the art spirit there will be precious work to fill galleries\u2026The artist disturbs, upsets, enlightens and opens the way for a better understanding. Where those who are not artists are trying to close the book, he opens it and shows there are still more pages to follow\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

As individuals and as a nation, creativity is our most valuable resource. Given the fact that at least 30% of all children are creatively, rather than academically inclined, we would benefit if creative subjects were given greater attention in our schools.
\nMoreover, Afro-Caribbean\u2019s have the world\u2019s highest incidence of dyslexia (15% of the population as against 10%). This alone should ensure that we have a super abundance of creative people, for dyslexia and creativity go hand in hand. Throughout history many of the world\u2019s most gifted artists and thinkers have been dyslexic.<\/p>\n

It would also help if parents had a different mind-set towards education. Too often it is the parent\u2019s aspiration, rather than the child\u2019s, that instils a preference for academic rather than creative subjects. Dominica does not necessarily need more lawyers but we do desperately need more people who are creatively skilled.<\/p>\n

Finally, in answer to the reason for our apathy towards the visual arts, Dominica\u2019s preeminent art icon told me recently: Roger, we\u2019re just not ready!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The recent launch of Dominica\u2019s National Art Gallery begs the question: what is the relevance of the visual arts in Dominica. 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