Thinking outside the box

Hundreds flocked to the Edna Manley College campus to celebrate the work of 44 final-year students, at the recently opened School of Visual Arts Final Year Show. Under the theme, 'Lateral Minds', the exhibition presents different techniques, concepts, themes and genres from varying perspectives, daring patrons to think and venture beyond their normal perception of the visual arts.

Director of the School of Visual Arts Petrona Morris noted that the students have spent at least a year developing their work in areas such as painting, visual communications (graphics and illustration), ceramics, jewellery and art education. The quality of the work was not overlooked by the guest speaker, Dr Sonjah Stanley Niaah from the Institute of the Caribbean, who noted that the students' talents underscored Jamaica's immense talent as a cultural superpower.

Many of the concepts of the final-year show were technically strong and balanced, as well as marketable to the masses. It was clear that the 'out of the box' concepts created by the students with just the right funding would be lucrative ventures. Promoted as elegance beyond the ordinary, visual communication student Alvin Ferron's concept cars were fascinating. Made from plaster, the Ferron-branded cars were carved on curvaceous lines to give them a sleek, elegant and futuristic aesthetic, setting them apart from the average cars.

"I'm a car lover. From first year, I knew that my final-year show would have something to do with cars.

His colleague, Lionel Thompson's Liqueur Lingerie represented the marketing skills of the EMC visual communication students. The working concept was about edible alcohol-based flavoured lingerie as a stimulant to evoke interest and enjoyment. Stepping into Thompson's space was like stepping into a lingerie boutique in New York's Times Square. Accented with soft lights, sensual aroma, live mannequins, delectable posters, product samples, patrons were taken on a journey that appeased and teased their senses.

Jewellery major Donna-Gaye Uter and visual communication major Melissa Green also commanded the attention of many patrons at the opening ceremony. Uter's jewellery balances artistic strength with everyday relevance, as noticed in her array of pieces spanning rings, bracelets, necklaces and lockets.

Entrepreneurial venture

Green's Twist Café and Bakery is a potentially successful entrepreneurial venture. "Growing up with a pastry chef father, I have developed a love for pastries and throughout my years at Edna Manley College I discovered my passion for advertising and packaging". It is the blending of these passions that led to the impressive final-year show concept, which transported patrons from the School of Visual Arts into a modern 21st-century café complemented by scrumptious pastries and sophisticated art décor.

While many final-year students presented shows with a common thread of 'out of the box' entrepreneurial concepts, an echoing feature of the exhibition was the non-traditional presentation by most of the painting majors. Using materials such as textile, leatherette and other mixed media, the painting technique was presented by many, without the traditional means of paint and brush. This is referred to as representational work which is a breaking away from tradition and experimenting with other materials such as paper and sponge.