The Art Industry

Our not so hidden jewel....



Jamaican art can be traced back to the civilization to the Tainos, Spaniards and the English. This era speaks of a diversity of cultures that clashed by force, greed, geography, love, hate and slavery.

The strongest influence on Jamaican art is derived from the English as seen in the sketches and paintings of Isaac Mendez Belasario and the works of the intuitives John Dunkley and Colin Garland.

 

“Koo-Koo or “Actor Boy” sketches of Characters, In illustration of the Habits, Occupation and Costume of the Negro Population in the island of Jamaica 1837. 

The costumes and accessories of Actor Boy illustrates the European luxury items such as the fan and the mask showing the clear cultural mix taking place at the time.










Jamaican art as we know it today evolved out of the 1930’s social and political awakening.  Edna Manley 1935 sculpture “Negro Aroused” stands has an icon of that early movement.


                                                                                         

Veerle Poopeye Director of the National Gallery of Jamaica states: ‘The dominance of sculpture and specifically woodcarving in early modern Jamaican art is exceptional… and may be attributed to the revival of African traditions in Jamaican culture and accompanied cultural nationalism’.

Jamaica’s art market is described as one in which the works sold are usually: original, primarily second-hand and buyers only buy the work and not the copyright to it. The market is also dominated by an elite few: collectors, curators and gallery owners who determine which artist and artistic styles to promote.
There are 18 commercial galleries in operation in Jamaica, mainly in Kingston, St. Ann and St. James.   There is only one art museum; the National Gallery of Jamaica. It was established by the Institute of Jamaica to house the national collection of art.

Data on the Jamaica’s Art Industry is difficult to collate and this is where the problems beginning when trying to map the industry.  The problem is not unique to Jamaica; the lack of quantifiable information on the art market is a worldwide phenomenon. 
                              

This is mainly because the issue of what is considered art is very subjective.  Anyone can call themselves an artist, and can call what they have created art, and they can set any value to it. Art can also be bought, sold and given away privately.

The Jamaican art market is estimated to be worth between $3 - 5 million.  Among the noted names in the art industry are Kapo, Albert Huie, Barrington Watson, Karl Parboosingh, David Pottinger, Colin Garland, Carl Abrahams, David Boxer, Milton George, Osmond Watson, Eric Cadien, Edna Manley, Samere Tansley, Petrona Morrison, Margaret Chen, Laura Facey Cooper, Dawn Scott and my favorite Christopher Gonzales amoung others.

The Fashion Industry

Striving On Our Own

 

 

The average Jamaican would be hard pressed to tell the name of two Jamaican Fashion Designers.  Recognition from John public is just one of the many problems that plague the landscape of Jamaica’s Fashion Industry.

Assistance from the public and private sector in terms of providing funding; quality equipment and supplies and the impossibility of competing with cheaper goods entering the country from China and India are among the other the ills of the Industry.

In developing societies like Jamaica there is need for greater commercial exploitation of artistic talents and cultural heritage and for ensuring that these form an integral part of the trade and investment programmes of Ministries responsible for Foreign Trade.  It is ironic that our cultural products continue to be undervalued here at home even when they have crossed borders and established significant market niches in a large number of developed countries.  - The cultural policy of Jamaica.

The German multinational company PUMA is a prime example of how companies have been capitalizing on the vibrancy of the Jamaican culture. PUMA created a ‘Jamaica Collection’ for its line of athletic shoes and other sportswear and have achieved great success from this venture.

In 2007 28.67 million pounds were funded to ten (10) business clusters by the Private Sector Development Programme (PSDP) through a five (5) year technical assistance programme financed by the European Commission and Government of Jamaica.

One of those business clusters is the Jamaican Fashion and Apparel Cluster. The cluster offers business and technical assistance, fashion and design services, pattern development, business development advice.

Its objectives are to: 1. build the capacity of cluster members and in turn the industry through education and training via workshops, conferences and field trips. 2. Market and promote the products of cluster members through trade shows, fashion shows, retail promotions, joint ventures and collaborations. 3. Product development and 4. Website development.

Steps have been made over the years by various entrepreneurs to develop the industry. In 2001, Pulse conceived, organized and produced the inaugural Caribbean Fashion week (CFW). Described by British Vogue as “one of the important new trends in world fashion,” CFW has become widely acclaimed, and is seen in over 150 countries via the Fashion TV channel.

Pulse International was founded in 1980 by Kingsley Cooper and Hilary Phillips and is now a fashion/entertainment industry powerhouse and an icon in Caribbean style, representing some of the world’s foremost models. Mr. Cooper will be given an award for lifetime achievement at the annual staging of ‘Caribbean Fashion Rocks!’ in New York on April 25, 2010.

Modelling agencies Saints International, Pulse Modelling Agency (Pulse hosts Fashion Week and Saint International hosts Style Week and the Caribbean model search), Champs Model Management and Miguel models are all entities with unparalleled commitment to the development of the local fashion industry and its fashion and accessories designers, models, photographers, hairstylists, and fashion stylists.

Unlike the powerful fashion houses of Paris, Milan and New York that have been created better financed, regulated and protected for centuries; Jamaica’s Fashion industry is still up and coming.

Jamaica's Craft Industry 

'The creativity, the colour and the richness of the craft and the enduring spirit of our craft traders are the qualities that appeal to our visitors and capture their imagination.' - Binger.K, 2002

The main activities undertaken by Jamaica's craft traders are the creation of textile, ceramic, jewellery, metal and glass works. These are usually handmade and the skill is one that is past down within generations of family members. A large amount of Jamaica's craft traders do the art as a substitute income and usually have a second job.

Over the years there has been a lot of talk but little action from the government to improve Jamaica's Craft Industry. This may be due to the fact that this industry like the other creative industries in Jamaica is hard to classify and quantify. Craft Traders usually sell the pieces themselves directly to the public and as the returns are most times very modest they generally fall below the tax threshold.

The government’s attitude may be changing since there is now a renewed interest to upgrade the industry because of its impact on our tourism sector.

An article published by the Gleaner Company dated December 10, 2009 reports that the Tourism Ministry is undertaking an $87 million exercise to upgrade craft markets in resort towns across Jamaica.

These towns include; Musgrave Craft Market in Portland; the Ocho Rios Crafts Market in St Ann; the Old fort and Harbour Street Craft markets in Montego Bay; and the Negril Craft Market in Westmorland.

The only problem I have with this approach is the negative impact it will have when all the focus and funding is place on the craft markets in resort towns.

What will happen to the already run down shell that is the Kingston Craft Market built from 1872 it is the oldest and most neglected of all the craft markets and what about craft entities such as Things Jamaican?

The Craft Industry should be developed across the board so that craft products manufactured and sold in Jamaica is of top quality in Montego Bay as well as in Kingston.

A major area of discontent to customers who buy our craft products is the poor quality with which they are made and the lack of diversity and creativity in the design of the products.

The same article speaks of a collaborative effort that will be undertaken by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), the Jamaica Business Development Centre, the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts and the HEART Trust/NTA to produce a craft development strategy.

I can only hope that this initiative will come to fruition and that part of their goal will be to provide product development training for our craft traders.