'Many Moods 2' by Alphanso Blake. - CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
'A DIAMOND in the rough' is what the art auction and sale hosted by the Red Hills Communities Development Association (RHCDA) on Saturday, June 25 was.
The art displayed was breathtaking. The artist turnout was fabulous. Unfortunately, the heavy rainfall left the art-pieces with only a scattering of people willing to bid on them. The tiny crowd that materialised for the show resisted the auctioneer's charming descriptions of the artwork and desperate attempts to get people to buy.
LOW-TURNOUT
Despite the disappointing turnout, the show was wonderful. The event was held in an effort to bring together leading artists from Red Hills and the surrounding communities in order to raise money to finance a range of projects. One such mission is the organisation of art and craft classes that will be taught by artists from Red Hills to youths in schools such as Rock Hall and Red Hills All Age. Dr. Rosalea Hamilton spoke passionately about the RHCDA's desire to "bring art in a very meaningful way to the schools" and to "develop an art industry in Red Hills".
Art was displayed in all shapes and forms at the auction. The crowd was given a taste of poetry by artist James Murray, music by the Kingston Drummers, and of course visual art. Murray's painting, 'Love Blooms', which was described by the auctioneer as "a tribute to women", was a particularly impressive piece. The auctioneer continued his description saying, "You can really see the love in this painting."
Murray introduced himself with the lyrics of a true artist: "I am going to paint something with words for you." He continued by arranging one hundred and five Bob Marley titles in a poem telling us to, "Judge not the nation." In a later interview with Murray, The Sunday Gleaner asked about what had influenced him to use his artistry to aid the Red Hills community. His answer, after glancing at his two teenage daughters, was: "My yute dem. I don' want my yutes to come an' stan' up on corna. Dem need somet'in' to stop dem from guh to di crime. If I can even help a dozen yute den ...."
Listening to these artists talk about their work was truly inspiring. Nashon Morris, another of Red Hills' talented artists, presented a divine display of paintings. A favourite was a composition of three forms stretching and dancing in brightly coloured dresses. His use of line, silhouette and shadow gave the piece an almost surrealistic appeal. " You look at my work - I'm in it. I have an art disease, I can't stop painting," said Morris. It doesn't seem that he will have to stop anytime soon - his work is already on exhibit across the seas in Germany.
"Art, which captivates and inspires" is the description that was given to Alphonso Blake's piece 'Many Moods'. The painting, which went on auction for a price of $20,000, was enchanting. A mosaic of different shapes, colours and textures all placed in harmony with one another create what is truly an emotional piece. The work shows an impressive use of line and stability that seems to reference the 'thin line' that keeps all human emotions interconnected. Modestly, Blake explained: "Red Hills - this is where I work from. This is my inspiration. I'm a hills man."
POSITIVELY RAW 'EROTIC'
A final painting that deserves mention is Alexander Cooper's painting 'Erotic', which could never be described more perfectly. The painting displayed deep reds and blacks in a rough sketch of two people in the act. It was positively raw with sexuality - beautiful, but far from delicate.
This is the second year that the auction has been held, and plans for the future include turning it into an arts festival. If the association is successful the mass event will include an arts competition between the schools involved in the programme. Students from the schools will have their work showcased in the hope that this will make them more marketable. In time, this is supposed to lessen the threat of unemployment and resultantly, the students' involvement in youth-related crime.
Their cause brings with it the imagery of a battalion of artists, fighting the 'monster' of Jamaican youth crime with canvas and paintbrush in hand. This is a crisis that needs to be resolved; the Jamaican people are suffocating under its grasp, and so I wholeheartedly wish the RHCDA success in their journey.
