Glynis Salmon, Contributor
BACK IN the day (if you will pardon the colloquial expression) what was officially considered to be ART, and deemed to be so by society, was determined largely through Patronage. The Patrons of the time being largely members of the aristocracy and the intelligentsia, that is, the moneyed and the influential. Outside of their endorsement, all other expressions of Art were either scoffed at, or ignored as being vulgar, naive or "not fit to be hung".
To say that the erect manhood protruding from the prolific wood carvings seen largely on the north coast (Fern-Gully may be your first sighting), is vulgar, and offensive, "not fit to be hung", or otherwise displayed in polite society, betrays more than just a sense of social propriety, prudery or moral vicissitude.
For perhaps if those said artwork were to have been commissioned by the elite amongst us, and executed by an artist of stature, as conferred by said elite, then perhaps we would be erecting monuments extolling the artistic virtues of such sculpted erections, all over the place, perhaps even in the church.
SOPHISTICATED
As it stands, given all the arguments, it would appear that the nudity of the North Coast sculptures is but only a crudity of the most common, peasant and unschooled variety; and the
nudity of the Emancipation Park sculptures, (the ones then and now) is ART of the most impeccably sophisticated order.
For many persons however, the ART of the sculpture is not so much the HEART of the matter. ART or not, (the naked truth about many of Michaelangelo's masterpieces, and the Eden-like quality of many of the classic Greek works notwithstanding), the simple fact is, many Jamaicans suffer a vulgar assault on their sense and sensibilities by the unclothed body. They are just not comfortable with public expressions of either sex or sexuality, and would rather keep it covered.
The moral and the social class hypocrisy and/or prejudice evident in the discussion of the whole issue, is but a reflection of some aspects of the evolutionary crossroad the nation and its citizenry has reached.
For we are at a stage where we are hard-pressed to decide on a path that would have us whole-heartedly embrace the in-your face, crotch-holding, waist-wining gyrations of popular dance expressions. Not to mention the in-your-ears "punny" lyrics; the skin-out fashion styles; the visual bedroom scenes and the explicit exposure of previously considered "delicate" issues in the media.
Or a path that would have us inculcate and give expression to "proper values and attitudes", not just in speeches from the podium and the pulpit, but in actual "livity".
Perhaps the creator of the new sculpture symbolising "Emancipation" has indeed captured the essence of all our basic yearnings and desires. Perhaps, given our seeming national preoccupation with seeking to define, express and/or denounce our sexuality, we are, subliminally, seeking only to "free" ourselves with sexual healing.
Or perhaps, given the contradictions and double-standards which govern so many of our actions and opinions, we seek only to reinstate and give credence once again to the Patronage status quo of yore, affording a privileged few, the right to stand in judgement over all.
RENAISSANCE
But then, perhaps this Spirit of Emancipation sculpture, heralds only a renaissance, a rebirth, of an interpretation of freedom which no one can, and should deny The Freedom of ideas, however they are expressed. Perhaps, 41 years later, we have grown up as a nation, or are in the process of growing-up to realise, that true freedom, true Emancipation, true Independence means tolerance, support and appreciation for all our skills and abilities, be they spawned from the peasantry or the aristocracy.
Perhaps the Emancipation sculpture, rising as it does from a watery base, symbolises our need to cleanse ourselves and be free of all negatives, individually and as a nation, rising to the full glory of all the positives of our capabilities. Perhaps indeed we need to strip ourselves to the naked truth about ourselves as a people and as a nation, and re-clothe ourselves with a right spirit.
Glynis Salmon is a Publishing Executive and Communications Specialist.
