Andrew Smith/Photography Editor
A proud 14-year-old Monique Smith (right) discusses her gold and silver medal pieces with her mother Marthalee Smith at the opening reception of the National Visual Arts competition and exhibition 2007 at the National Gallery of Jamaica, downtown Kingston, last Sunday.

Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

"I do not think I have ever addressed such a large gathering on a Sunday afternoon," observed Minister of Tourism, Entertainment and Culture Aloun Assamba as she beamed at those gathered in the National Gallery, downtown Kingston, on a day when most of the country was focused on a huge crowd further away from the waterfront.

That large gathering had turned out for the opening of the 2007 National Visual Arts Competition and Exhibition, with Trevor Blake, chairman of the National Gallery of Jamaica, welcoming all. Simone McFarlane of St. Andrew Prep School, a gold medal winner in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Music Competition 2007, proved her mettle in singing Where The Boys Are, a white gloved hand holding the microphone.

And there is a very strong possibility that it was the forerunner of large audiences at the National Gallery up to August 18, when the exhibition of work adjudicated in the JCDC competition ends, as it is free and open to the public. The National Gallery is open between 10:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Tuesdays to Thursdays, closes half-hour earlier on Fridays and at 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

There will be three medallists' showcases across the island in Mandeville at the Bloomfield Great House, in Montego Bay at the MoBay Civic Centre and in Ocho Rios on September 12, October 18, and November 21 respectively.

Does not exist in a vacuum

Assamba emphasised the collaboration between the JCDC and the National Gallery, which she said she had insisted on, saying that "it demonstrates that the gallery does not exist in a vacuum". In addition, Assamba said:"there is no monopoly on brilliance. Today's aspirant is tomorrow's Barrington Watson, Carl Abrahams, Howard Moo Young, Edna Manley."

And, she said: "we are too small, too young a nation, to squander our resources and sponsor snobbery," quoting Rex Nettleford who said "our art is too recent to be overly discriminating".

"We need to be encouraging, encouraging, encouraging," Assamba said, emphasising that the National Gallery "a fe all a we".

Earlier in her address, Assamba had noted the inherent creativity of Jamaicans, but noted that for some reason there is an attitude that paintings are for high-class people.

"And it is right," she said, "for we are a high-class people."

The collaboration between the National Gallery and the JCDC was emphasised as Blake and Vivian Crawford, chairman of the JCDC, joined Assamba in cutting the symbolic purple ribbon to officially open the exhibition, to applause from the large Sunday afternoon gathering.

The brief function was hosted by Heather Grant, with Delroy Gordon of the JCDC giving the vote of thanks.