Georgetown: The painting by Carl Anderson titled “Caribbean Beauty Queens” was part of the Guyana Visual Arts Competition in 2012
Guyana will be holding the second bi-annual Visual Arts Competition (GVAC) this year in November and all sculptors, potters, painters, and visual artists in the whole are invited to display their pieces.
The GVAC is being hosted for the second time, having been revived in November 2012. The competition is not a new creation in the arts community as it has been in existence since the 1960s, however due to some difficulties, it had collapsed.
Alim Hosein, Chairman of Castellani House, the nation’s premier art gallery, indicated that the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry revived the GVAC in 2012 as there was a need for an art exhibition for Guyanese visual artists an opportunity to showcase and enable the work of young artists in Guyana.
The competition has changed from what it was, as it is now scheduled as a bi-annual event, giving more scope for artists to work on their pieces and develop their artistic abilities. The rules have been fine-tuned somewhat too. Nevertheless, it remains the same as there is no limitation on the age of participants or the geographic location in Guyana the artist may hail from.
There is, however, a limit on the number of pieces a competitor can submit; that being a total of three pieces in any category or perhaps three pieces in one category.
Winslow Craig’s sculpture “Saving Seeds” won first prize in its category
At the 2012 competition, there were pieces in the categories of painting, ceramics, photography, sculpting, drawing and textiles. However, this year there will be no textiles being displayed as the organisers have decided to allow the category of ‘fine craft’ to be a part of the competition. This category involves unique creations such as jewellery and other small pieces.
Each of the categories will be judged for first, second and third places; with respective prizes of $500,000, $300,000 and $200,000. Hosein informed Guyana Times that the winners get to keep their work as he believes that this enhances their capacities to flourish in their art, selling it as they accumulate a following. He remarked that sometimes, the National Art Gallery (Castellani House) buys some pieces for the Gallery.
These prizes are not the only ones that are favoured, however, as there is the Promise Award that is given to an “up and coming” artist who shows great promise but did not necessarily win the competition. Artists over 26 years of age are not awarded this prize. Even so, the judges as a body can give their own award to one or two individuals they may have been impressed with. There will be a prizes in total.
President Donald Ramotar, being the patron of the competition, will present the winners of the relevant competitors with their awards in December, when the awards ceremony will be held.
Talking art
Hosein remarked that the GVAC is not only limited to this competition, as it is probably the only opportunity that visual artists have in getting together and talking all things art, to share their different styles, unique additions or creations and ideas. There will so be other events hosted to facilitate the meeting and showcasing of the various art forms in Guyana.
The judges also bring their own pieces to showcase and advise the younger artists on their development in their different categories. This “gives courage and energy to create more”, remarked Hosein, as there is a week-long programme of activities geared towards an artist fellowship with other artists and their own artistic growth through this.
The judges have three days to look at the pieces of the competitors which are kept at Castellani House. In 2012, the pieces were kept at the museum where there were some quite detailed sculptures.
Interested artists can register for the competition online at www.mycs.gov.gy or at the ER Burrowes School of Art, where registration forms can be uplifted. Rules for the competition can be found online as well.
Hosein stated that two passport pictures are necessary for the database the Ministry is compiling on the artists, as well as a commemorative catalogue. The participants will submit their work to the organisers of the competition and they will be issued with a receipt.
Hosein remarked that the participants of the competition cannot submit pieces that were created before November 2012, as the aim of the competition is to “create new work”. He wants the artists to “show us what you’re doing” currently”, stating that this can be in any form or style – realist or abstract. He also mentions that there is no theme or focus as they, the organisers, wish to “release the creativity of the artist… the imagination, the skill, the quality.”
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