Kendel Hippolyte at Calabash Literary Festival. by Caribbean Free Photo

This major literary event presents concerts, recitals, art exhibition, and the participation of leading writers. The selection of authors and performers related to Caribbean arts and culture include Jacqueline Bishop, Loretta Collins, Carolyn Cooper, Michael “Ibo” Cooper, Christine Craig, Fred D’Aguiar, Marcia Douglas, Garfield Ellis, Steve Golding, Colin Grant, Sadie Jones,Alecia McKenzie, Orlando Patterson, Patricia Powell, Olive Senior, Seretse Small, Sonjah Stanley Niaah, and Kerry Young.

The Calabash International Literary Festival’s mission is to transform the literary arts in the Caribbean by being the region’s best-managed producer of workshops, seminars and performances.

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About Calabash

The Calabash International Literary Festival was founded in 2001 by novelist Colin Channer with the support of two friends, the poet Kwame Dawes and the producer Justine Henzell. Their aim was simple—to create a world-class literary festival with roots in Jamaica and branches reaching out into the wider world.

A three-day festival of readings and music with other forms of storytelling folded in the mix, Calabash is earthy, inspirational, daring and diverse. It’s the only annual international literary festival in the English-speaking Caribbean. All festival events are free and open to the public. Passion is the only price of entry. But voluntary contributions are accepted.

The festival is produced by the Calabash International Literary Festival Trust (the Trust), which also produces publishing seminars and writing workshops. The Trust is affiliated with the Friends of the Calabash International Literary Festival, a registered 501(c)(3) corporation in the United States. Visit Calabash for more info.

“We are very happy,” said Simon de Pury, the chairman of the auction house who led the auction tonight. He said he was not surprised about the sale. “I thought it was a very solid sale. We are pleased.” All told, Phillips evening sale culled $86,897,500 to hit between the $75 million – $110 million estimated totals for the night. That total was down from $94,823,000 last year but up considerably from $17,130,000 in 2010.

Top sellers of the night besides the Basquiat were Untitled VI by Willem de Kooning, which sold for $12,402,500; Untitled (Bolsena) by Cy Twombly for $6,242,500; Brushstroke Nude by Roy Lichtenstein for $5,458,500; and two by Andy Warhol: Mao($10,386,500) and Gun ($7,026,500). Each of the top 10 lots sold went for more than $2.4 million including buyers premiums.

The mood tonight was lively if not as electrifying as a certain diamond auction at Christie’s late last year. Women in Louboutin shoes and men with the long, artfully coiffed hair of European royalty milled around drinking champagne downstairs in the lobby before the sale started. Later in the main room they clapped appreciatively when the Basquiat sold. Most of the buyers were longtime art patrons, according to Michael McGinnis, Phillips’ worldwide head of contemporary art. Bidders from Russia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East are especially strong this year, he said.

“I think they are a consistent part of the market, no question,” McGinnis said. “People know what they’re doing. They’re very well educated. They’re very well advised and don’t jump unless they’re confident.”

Not everything sold as robustly as the Basquiat, however: A Richard Prince Emergency Nurse took in just $1.8 million even though it was expected to fetch between $3 million and $5 million. The room got very quiet as bidding stalled around $1.8 million then turned to low-level chatter as the sale closed. McGinnis said he was surprised the Prince didn’t go for more, calling it a “good quality painting” that perhaps simply didn’t strike someone’s fancy as much as others thought it would.

In the same vein, a Cy Twombly from 1969 took only $5.5 million rather than the low estimate of $6 million (two other Twomblys went for less than their estimates); a Gerhard Richter went for $2 million than the expected $3 million to $5 million.

It’s possible that the nights on which sales fall affect pricing. The Phillips sale is the third of the big three New York auctions this spring. On Wednesday, Sotheby’s culled $266.6 million in sales led by pieces from Roy Lichtenstein and Francis Bacon, which demanded the top price that night at $44.8 million each. Christie’s on Tuesday set the record for the highest total for a contemporary art sale at $388.5 million. A 1961 Rothko canvas Orange, Red, Yellow sold there for nearly $87 million.

A week earlier in New York, Edvard Munch’s 1895 pastel of The Scream sold for $119.9 million at a Sotheby’s sale. It was the world’s most expensive work of art ever to sell at auction.

This Andy Warhold sold for $6.2 million.

McGinniss said the auction house has toyed with selling on the Monday prior to Sotheby’s and Christie’s auctions–the thinking is to hit prospective buyers when they’re in the perfect mood to spend–but has yet to hit on the right formula for its spring sale.

“That’s always the question,” McGinniss said. “I mean I think the ideal solution is to be somewhere in the middle, and somehow we’re not invited into that club. Until then we’ll just have to keep finessing what we feel is best.”

Phillips is an old company–it was founded in 1796–and held sales for the likes of Marie Antoinette and Napoleon before becoming most profitable selling silver and furniture in later centuries. It started selling contemporary art when Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy bought it in 1999. De Pury and co-managing director Daniella Luxembourg bought the company from LVMH in 2002; de Pury took over when Luxembourg sold her shares five years ago.

Scheduling aside, it’s worth noting that those Lichtensteins, Warhols and Basquiats have become so astoundingly expensive only in relatively recent years. Lichtenstein sold works for $100,000 as late as the 1990s, and a Basquiat canvas in 1982 could be had 2,500. What’s more, buyers on the white-hot contemporary art market seem to be saving their real power to buy only the best. Last night Sotheby’s Tobias Meyer had to work hard to pull bids from the audience, and the phones, for many of the pieces on display. Eleven of 57 lots went unsold, while six works sold on a single bid.

“The question is to figure out what the right thing is,” McGinnis said by way of explaining the current market. “Blue chip and immaculate quality. Sterling provenance and quality. That’s it. That’s the recipe.”

Original report from Forbes.

Ryan Oduber Kima Momo

The artists invited to participate are:

Pepon Osorio (Born in Puerto Rico, living and working in US),
Tirzo Martha (Born, living and working in Curaçao),
Mario Benjamin (Born, living and working in Haïti),
Jean-Ulrick Désert (Born in Haiti, living and workingin in Germany) en 
Remy Jungerman (Born in Suriname, living and working in The Netherlands).

As a foretaste of their theatrical piece Water Under The Bridge on the industrial history of Curaçao, the duo mother and son Glenda Martinus and T. Martinus will reflect on the Artist talk presenting a poetry summary and a live drawing.

The event takes place at the Kunsthal KAdE in Amersfoort on  Saturday 26th May 2012 from 14.00 to 16.00 hrs. Entrance is free and open to the public.  The talk will be held in English. For more information visit: http://framerframed.nl/en/projecten/close-encounters-of-the-caribbean-kind/

7 Days in Havana is a snapshot of modern-day Havana; a portrait of an eclectic, fascinating, and timeless city sketched by seven world-class moviemakers that have become regulars at Cannes: Benicio Del Toro, Pablo Trapero, Elia Suleiman, Julio Medem, Gaspar Noé, Juan Carlos Tabío, and Laurent Cantet. The film will premiered in France on May 30th and in 35 other countries thereafter.

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To know more about 7 days in Havana VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Anaruka 1 to 9 (“to fly” in Swahili)

Art historian Kimberly Gant in “There is no Looking Glass Here: Wide Sargasso Sea Re-Imagined” Deutsche Bank Catalogue 2010: His work …, combines variations of cultures and religions together, while also addressing the notion of African people as exotic and extreme. Anaruka is very ornate and decorative; a bust covered in glossy black lacquer paint, with large geode crystals emanating from the back of the skull and mounds of various hair types and jewelry surrounding the base. By taking an historical European art form and embellishing it, Landvreugd “creol-izes” it, making his bust a personal hybrid. Entitled Anaruka (“to fly” in Swahili) and part of a larger series Anarusha (“to propel” in Swahili), Landvreugd uses an aspect of the traditional religion of Surinamese Creoles. … “

“Within the past few years, regional artists working with the medium of fine art photography have provided us with an increasingly searching image of the Caribbean and the people who inhabit it. In recognising that the region is not the picture-perfect paradise of traditional depictions, these artists focus instead on what is not easily seen or that which is often ignored – the complex social, racial, political and physical relationships and landscapes that exist within the Caribbean.”

Editors Archer and Brown

This is a book many have been waiting for. It succeeds — spectacularly — in not only showcasing the work of established and newer artists, but also in going beyond the old clichés of what photography from “the tropics” is thought to be about: building a far more complex picture which makes us stop and think about history and about some of the issues we deal with on a daily basis. Indeed, as the editors suggest, these pictures aim to photograph that which we cannot see or do not wish to see.

The book, which is beautifully designed, features work by photographers from all over the region. The artists include: Ewan Atkinson (Barbados); Marvin Bartley (Jamaica); Terry Boddie (Nevis); Holly Bynoe (St Vincent and the Grenadines); James Cooper (Bermuda); Renee Cox (Jamaica); Gerard Gaskin (Trinidad and Tobago – whose ‘Trinidad Artist Project’ is featured, including an image of this reporter); Abigail Hadeed (Trinidad and Tobago); Gerard Hanson; Nadia Huggins (St Vincent and the Grenadines); Marlon James (Jamaica); Roshini Kempadoo; O’Neil Lawrence (Jamaica); Ebony G Patterson (Jamaica); Radcliffe Roye; Alex Smailes; Stacey Tyrell (Canada/ Nevis); and Rodell Warner (Trinidad and Tobago).

Each of these artists could probably fill a book on their own. What is most striking, however, is how the design and structure of this book (there are four main sections of work around the themes of ‘Tableau Vivant’; ‘Documentary’; ‘Transformed Media’ and ‘Portraiture’) allows photography to interact with what might be called “digital art” – itself a relationship recently examined in a show at Alice Yard curated by Christopher Cozier called “Shot in Kingston: The Digital Scene.” Thus, the book is not, strictly speaking, just about photography, but literally about pictures, produced with the photographic art in mind.

The book allows the work of each artist to speak on its own. In some instances, the work of artists we have encountered before transforms when placed together in these mini-galleries and alongside the other work. This was particularly the case with the work of Cox, whose staged “portraits” featuring what appears to be a disenchanted trophy wife say something completely different when massed together, page after page, and then placed alongside Atkinson’s 2005 “doll house” series.

Also of note is how some of the artists (including Hadeed, Smailes, Warner, Patterson and O’ Neill) seem to straddle the categories and trouble the categorisations themselves. For instance, there can be no doubt of the power of Hadeed’s work which, in simply documenting almost forgotten aspects of Trinidad culture, makes a bold statement about our times. But the photographs themselves each seem to tell their own story and cannot be limited to simple categories. Each piece has a tone and carefully calibrated mood which brings out ideas from its subject which we might not normally meditate on. This is particularly true of Hadeed’s “Victoria Square Outdoor Project.”

Something as equally powerful happens in the “Documentary” work of Smailes, proving that photography is equally about what is in the picture as without. Bynoe, too troubles, the idea of photography. Portraits are stripped and mixed like collage with digital images to create moods and associations which would not otherwise arise.

Bartley’s work is another example of how boundaries are being transgressed. His images are extremely complex, satirical nightmares. They are flippant and deadly simultaneously. They deal with suppressed histories and stories in a haunting and powerful way. Here is no Paradise, but rather the places in Dante’s Commedia.

By juxtaposition, the editors invite comparison with Cooper, who strips down his photographs to the level of depictions of leisure. But in the process, and notwithstanding the jokes he makes, there is a feeling for the depth of the sea, the human body and the idea of eternity. (Cooper’s ‘Fishing Line #2’ graces the book’s cover).

There is a lot in this book and perhaps readers should best discover it for themselves. For sure, Pictures from Paradise is more than just an excellent coffee-table item: it is an important document which goes some way towards highlighting the diversity and power of photography and the digital arts in the Caribbean today.

For original article please visit Newsday.

by Carl E. Hazlewood

Photograph by Arlington Weithers

Philip Alphonso Moore, 90, one of the region’s most accomplished artists, who designed Guyana’s 1763 Monument to it’s great slave revolution, died at his residence in Lancaster Village, Courentyne, Guyana ,on the 13th of May, 2012. One of the most outstanding artists to emerge from the Caribbean region, Mr. Moore, a self-taught painter and sculptor, produced works from deep personal resources as well as the complex vernacular multi-culture of his homeland. Moore’s work is based upon a philosophical concept that he called, ‘Godmanliness’. Simply stated, he believed that the creative energy of all humanity could be harnessed and focused in positive and unifying ways through individuals, if they give themselves over to that higher power. This personal belief allowed Philip Moore to become almost a creative avatar of his particular culture, which includes people of many races and traditions. One is able to discern Hindu, Christian, and a multitude of other religious and secular influences in his production, along with the more obvious African retentions.

The people of the Caribbean have endured and even prospered because of their ability to resist when necessary, but they also know when they must find ways to adjust to dire circumstances. The historical institution of slavery left its mark on the people and has affected their way of life, as have various European traditions—Spanish, Dutch, French, and English. Over time, Guyanese and other Caribbean people have creatively managed a syncretic solution in order for some part of the ancient traditions, and the cultural and physical body to survive. Moore’s superbly modern ‘creole’ art is a perfect example of the creative energy that reconciles a problematized history, racial conflicts, and continuously transforming culture.

Over the years, solo and group exhibitions of his work have been held at home and abroad, including a major one-person show at the Studio Museum in Harlem in the seventies. During a period of living and working in the United States, Moore was appointed an Artist-in-Residence at Livingston College in New Jersey, followed by a similar assignment at Princeton University, also in New Jersey.

In addition to his fifteen foot tall bronze Monument to Guyana’s great slave revolution of 1763, set up in Georgetown, major works are owned by Castellani House, Guyana’s National Collection of Fine Art. Many examples of Philip Moore’s paintings and sculptures can be found around the world in private collections like that of Guyanese-born Timothy T. Griffith, a major supporter of Mr Moore during his last years, and public institutions such as the Studio Museum in Harlem.

Thanks to Carl E. Hazlewood for contributing this special tribute to Philip Moore. ARC extends it’s condolences to members of the Moore family.

The 25 selected artists under age 35 will have a captivating opportunity to reflect on their art in a professional environment. The interaction with curators, art critics, museum directors, collectors, and established artists from New York to Beijing and from Toronto to Cape Town, as well as with other participating artists, is a unique starting point to further develop their professional art career. The evening activities, including dinners, lectures, and concerts, will be open to everyone who would like to meet with the artists and commentators.

On 25 August, a Meet & Greet Day will be organised for young artists from Limburg and the Euregion Maas-Rhine (the three-nation region around Liège, Maastricht, and Aachen), in parallel to the WARP Artist Village. We will end this last day with an astounding WARP-ART-PARTY and the development of a true tent village.

Artists under age 35 can submit their portfolio until 8 June 2012.

For further information and technical specifications on how to apply, please visit our website: Warp Contemporary Art Platform.- http://www.warp-art.be

WHO IS ELIGIBLE

Photographers of all nationalities who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to apply. Submit a one-page proposal and a portfolio sample of your black & white or color (PDF if possible) current work. Only new and continuing projects are eligible to apply. Our Director, Founder, and Board of Trustees will select a winner from all accepted entries.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Only digital file submissions will be considered. Digital files should not exceed 10 MB in size. Please submit a PDF contact sheet of your work consisting of no more than 15 images, alongside a written essay of up to 1000 words stating the purpose of your work, why you should be awarded this grant, and a little about who you are and how you developed a passion for photography. Also include in your statement a line or two about your photographic process, and the inspiration behind your work. It will be your responsibility to insure that your entry has been received. We are not responsible for submissions sent but not received. Final proposals that have been selected must include a description of the social issue to be funded by this grant, a proposed completion date/schedule (projects must be completed within 6 months following receipt of award) and a detailed budget for final approval. Grant funding will be disseminated in installments as the project is completed and submitted for approval. No signature, stamp or any other identifying mark is to be printed anywhere on submitted images.

Entry Deadline: May 31, 2012

For more information on the Grant Program and the activities of the Foundation, check our website: www.mrofoundation.org or contact the Executive Director, Mr. Didier de Faÿs, at d.fays@mrofoundation.org

This exhibition not only presents over 100 of his paintings, many of which are precious early works out of private collections that have remained long-unseen, but will also show Ferguson’s glasswork, ceramics and interest in the creation of objects for daily use.

Despite great international success in his lifetime, Ferguson remained on the fringes of Bahamian culture for many years. Ferguson executed his naive, folksy works with outdoor house paint on humble cardboard; untrained and not part of any organized art network, he can hence be described as an “intuitive” or “outsider” artist. An obsessive producer, driven by faith and visions, over his life Ferguson accumulated an extensive oeuvre of uniquely styled depictions, replete with his very own brand of title spelling.

Not only is The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas re-opening the upstairs ballroom for this exhibition, which extends the gallery space by almost one third. This has given us the opportunity to re-display many works from the National Collection.

In order to parallel Ferguson’s work on an art historical level, the downstairs exhibition will contextualize his practice within the “Outsider Artist” genre, clarifying what is an “outsider” or “intuitive” artist and examining this movement within the Bahamian art landscape. Examples of other “outsiders” are Joe Monks, Reverend Mervin Thompson, and Wellington Bridgewater, which will reveal this tradition to be a strong part of Bahamian culture. Contrasts will also be made with other established Bahamian artists such as Rolfe Harris and Eddie Minnis to illustrate clearly the difference between “self-taught” and “intuitive.”

Finally, an interactive space has been designed to recreate the ambiance of Ferguson’s studio. Visitors will be able to try to “Paint like Amos” and thus disprove a long-standing bias against the work of one of our greatest Bahamian master painters – that “a child could do that”.