Anthea McGibbon, Gleaner Writer

Sharon Fox-Mould - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

'Visual artists need to package themselves better, they need to talk about their art each day.- Green

Sharon Fox-Mould, president of the Guild of artists, is passionate about the link between art and tourism, which she says is not as dynamic as it should and could be. She is not the only artist to lay blame at the feet of the hoteliers.

In her experience, local artists, especially from the Guild, have had little success at breaking the established barriers between Jamaica's fine artists and hoteliers. "Local art being sold in hotels is almost 'nil'," she says, in reference to the fine arts.

Bernd Khulen - photo by Roger Robinson

It seems true from related experiences like this, that in Jamaica, art tourism as an attraction for visitors has been largely unexplored. The Arts spoke with some hoteliers to get their views on the issues involved.

Bernd Khulen, manager of the Ritz-Carlton hotel, Montego Bay, explained the policy of the hotel chain internationally regarding artwork. In the hotel's earlier days, he said, the approach was to maintain the same 'Ritz-Carlton look' in all locations.

Today, however, there is a more adventurous approach which started with the architectural designs bearing a senograph (mixture of scenes and geographical point). The hotels are then tailored with accessories according to the country of establishment. In Jamaica, for example, one gets the sense of a tropical influence.

There is a hall of Jamaican art at the hotel which Khulen said is the brainchild of public relations manager Jacqueline Burrell. The conversation of the pieces echoes a local century of traditional rhythms and similes, while offering a sense of tranquillity.

The idea is to keep the senographs, while revealing different colonial veils, giving guests an opportunity to embrace Jamaica. The gallery of local art includes works by members of the Jamaican Guild of Artists. Among the pieces displayed are 'Castelton Gardens 11' by Carol Watson, 'Coronation Market' by Lennox Coke, and 'St. Ann' by Stafford Schieffier.

Wills Green - photo by Roger Robinson

Wills Green operations manager at the Jamaica Grande hotel has a vision to see a nice art gallery in Ocho Rios, with an entrance fee of approximately US$10, and where people can sip Blue Mountain coffee. He, however, opined that "Visual artists need to package themselves better, they need to talk about their art each day."

Green, like leading businessmen locally, believes that setting up art institutes is one step towards bringing Jamaica to a First World status. "We need to be serious about tourism," he told The Sunday Gleaner.

At the Jamaica Grande, art dealer Wayne Gallimore has art on display for tourist in his 'Jaminginations' gallery. While some local artists feel this is a secured foot in the door of the hotel industry for them, there are those who along with some hoteliers and foreign-based Jamaican artists feel that this particular thrust is not enough.

With respect to the ongoing exhibition at the Montego Bay airport, Gallimore's efforts are seen as a syringe drop in a fast rising reservoir. The question is being asked how far w ill this go in ensuring sound education, and creating greater demand for Jamaica's art worldwide. Foreign-based Jamaican artists are concerned over the minimising of established artists and 'art ambassadors' to a mere show, and that tourists are not been educated about diversity of Jamaica's art and its culture.

Perhaps this underlines the need for substantive projects and working relations between representatives in the private sector, government, artists and artisans. It speaks also on the need to network with already established artists, and, Jamaican-owned galleries overseas especially where there is a high concentration of Jamaicans and/or thirst for connectivity to Jamaica.

Recently, there has been a stir of sensitivities resulting in a quest for real art projects to educate tourists on the styles, genres and of Jamaican artists in such a way as to influence a higher percentage of demand and which would involve better interaction with tourists. This, for some hotel managers such as Wills Green will ultimately influence more tourist visitations especially during the winter seasons where high-end tourists are targeted.

On the other hand, Jamaica's tourism especially during the slow periods could be boosted with developed focus on the collective arts as is the case with other countries.

In Negril, Kenric Davis advocates for a combined product of artists and artisans. Citing the need for a lot more art-related attractions, he argues that a profound lack of organisation, management and marketing of Jamaican artists has been detrimental to the country's growth. Identifying government entities such as the Ministry of Culture, Tourism Product Development Company, Chamber of Commerce, and others from within the private sector, his solution includes proposals for efficiently managed art festivals. Reiterating the need for "quality craft work", Davis pointed to the expectations of a mayhem of doubling tourist figures with the proliferation of the Spanish hotels.

An idea, which is not so far fetched considering the revelation by Minister Edmund Bartlett in a recent press briefing jointly hosted with the Ambassador Jesus Silva of progressing plans that will enable the Spanish to own approximately 50 per cent of hotel accommodations in the next five years.

"We need to protect the artists and stand against bulk business from China and Indonesia." Davis also reiterates that in Cuba there is quality craft with good craftsmen. "Jamaicans need to hone skills to get to a certain level."

David Ellis - Contributed

David Ellis also with over 20 years experience with various artists in the hotel industry, observes a pending threat from too much deregulation of activities and lack of standardisation in reference to the total arts (spanning performing arts to fashion). While a variety of designers is good, Ellis feels that more could be done in terms of packaging and presentation to promote Jamaica's unique accents.

While there is a general consensus on the high demand for art, some hoteliers have told Sunday Arts that they hardly get practical proposals which are beneficial to tourists, and viable for the hotels themselves.

Some artists, in the opinion of a few hoteliers, lack creativity, intelligence and the sensitivities that go beyond mere artistic talent.

Anthea McGibbon, a graduate of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts has over 10 years experience in the fields of journalism and the arts. Contact her at islandartattack@yahoo.co.uk or anthea.mcgibbon@gleanerjm.com