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| Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Adriel Brathwaite admiring some of the art on display during the official launch of the Renaissance Variety in Bloom Art Show?? on Sunday. (A. Miller/BGIS)?? |
Educate people to understand the value of art!
Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Adriel Brathwaite, threw out this challenge to members of the Barbados Arts Council (BAC) during the official launch of the Renaissance Variety in Bloom art show yesterday.
He added that persons visiting Cuba were taken to the art village and encouraged to purchase a piece of art.
"The point is, in my brief look at art with our Caribbean neighbours, and contrast it with what I saw from Barbados, I did not see a rich history. Maybe we need to ensure the rich history of art is known to more Barbadians," the Attorney General pointed out.
Mr. Brathwaite added that one way to encourage more Barbadians to purchase a piece of art for their home was through education. "You need to educate people in understanding the value of art, and that is what we do," he advised.
The Attorney General told those present that art was one of the few media available to record history, and this should be seen as one of the greatest purposes.
Mr. Brathwaite urged the artists to let the show be their own renaissance, and a time when more ordinary Barbadians were exposed to the arts. "Bring us in and expose us to what goes into art," the Minister urged.
Artist, Andrew Fenty, explained the show was designed to encourage artists to reemerge. "Art has a pivotal role to play in encouraging people to project what they have. We need to encourage people to come forth and bombard the environment," he said.
Mr. Fenty explained that Renaissance was about an outburst of creativity, where the artists were encouraged to highlight their entrepreneurial thrust publicly in the form of a varied exhibition.
President of the BAC, Denzil Mann, pointed out that the show exhibited the work of artists Wayne Collymore-Taylor, Larry Belgrave, Don Small and Mr. Fenty.
Noting that not all research on Barbadian art was found online, Mr. Mann explained that while there was information in the public library, there was still a need for some of it to be solidified. "We will move towards recording some of the information," he promised.