GoodHeart | Art for Liberation competition invites Jamaican artists to explore freedom

The news that the Jamaican Government has started the process of removing the British monarch as the head of state was welcomed by Stephanie Marley, daughter of Bob and Rita Marley, and director of the Rita Marley Foundation. After discussing the topic with friends and conducting her research on constitutional reform, the psychologist and humanitarian concluded that now is the time for her people to educate themselves on why finally separating from their historical oppressors is imperative for the nation’s growth. Thus, ‘Wake Up Jamaica’, Marley’s public education campaign, was born.

“[Prior to Wake Up Jamaica], I wasn’t fully aware. I certainly did not understand the constitution. I didn’t know how much I’m impacted by it and how much it governs how we live as Jamaicans ... through doing my research on what constitution reform could look like [with Jamaica becoming a republic]. I realised that change is possible, not just on an individual level, but on a national level. Our overall goal is to increase citizens’ awareness of our role and our responsibility to contribute to the development of the nation,” she told GoodHeart.

Recognising her privilege has left Stephanie more resolved to be a champion for the change she wants to see. The activist underscores that the responsibility of developing a nation belongs to all members of society and seeks to spread that message with the launch of Wake Up Jamaica’s visual arts and poetry competition, ‘Art for Liberation’.

At the competition’s launch on July 10 at the Bob Marley Museum, Stephanie asked the audience why her parents became singers if not for fame and fortune. Dr Amina Blackwood-Meeks, a veteran Jamaican storyteller, writer, and cultural ambassador, who attended and will judge the poetry section of Art For Liberation, responded that the legendary performers recognised they were on a mission to share and amplify the messages of unity that marked their careers. Stephanie hopes a similar responsibility is invoked within entrants under the contest’s opening theme, ‘Emancipate Yourself From Mental Slavery’, and looks forward to viewing the artists’ interpretations.

“The goal [of Art for Liberation] is to inspire development and also awareness. We hope that it goes far to change the mindset, that we, through this process, find liberation and freedom and understand what it is to be emancipated ... I’m interested to see what an artist creates in terms of what an emancipated mind looks like. And for poetry, I want to hear what it sounds like. I’m eager for emancipation, and I want it for my people. I would love this competition to inspire greater discussion and action towards a full and equitable constitution reform,” she shared.

COMPETITION

Wake Up Jamaica seeks to spread awareness with Art for Liberation and develop young Jamaican talent. The competition, covering painting, poster art, and spoken word poetry, will offer cash prizes of $400,000 to share among the top three painters, $275,000 to share among the top three poets, and $150,000 along with merchandise use for the top poster artist.

Prizes will also include ambassadorship with Wake Up Jamaica and opportunities for exhibitions and tours with winning pieces. Contestants will be judged by an expert panel, including Miriam Hinds-Smith of the Edna Manley College School of Art, Dr Amina Blackwood-Meeks, and Jamaican multi-disciplinary artist Charl Baker. Stephanie Marley emphasises that entrants will be critiqued on their inclusion of Jamaican culture, understanding of the theme, ‘Emancipate Yourself From Mental Slavery’, and ability to translate their message to a global audience. Beyond the cash prize, Art For Liberation aims to elevate artists internationally, helping them return to Jamaica with the ability to build nationally.

Muralist Charl Baker, judging the category for painting, shared this with The Gleaner on her approach toward and thoughts on the upcoming competition,

“I’m honoured to be a judge. I will be looking for original thought, colour, composition, what’s being said, and how they translate it. Our mind’s eye has to give so much thought to what we think, what we feel, so I think I’ll be looking at somebody who will be able to express it because art is so subjective ... [I’m] hoping to inspire other younger artists that are coming up, and even to awake [the initiative] within myself to have a form of activism or artivism, as I like to say, because art is a vehicle for change. It’s a vehicle for social change, cultural change, environmental change. So, I’m hoping to help further that quest.”

Submissions for Art for Liberation: Poetry and Visual Arts Competition will be accepted now through to August 1. Shortlisted artists will be notified by August 10, after which public voting will begin via Instagram until August 17. More information is available on Wake Up Jamaica’s Instagram @wakeupja876.

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