 We have an amazing panel with us today. You're going to get to meet them shortly and We're going to move along with this activity and I'm going to welcome at this point our Vice-Principal, Dr. Milsen-Claire-Uggis to share some words with us to make a few brief remarks Thank you, Ms. Sadhu Singh. Good afternoon everyone. Welcome. Thank you everyone for coming These are going to be very brief remarks But let me first thank the committee members of the academic discourse for Organizing the engagement of the minds of this event. It is always refreshing and it is with pleasure I offer these brief words, which I hope will provide some context to this discourse Last year's discourse with this theme I hope some of you remember the role of the academic as a force of social change in society Well for me and for others I think it provided opportunity for rich discussion and I have no doubt that this year's will do the same With the success of last year we continue into this decade with another revolutionary theme as mentioned by Ms. Sadhu Singh and it sits well with me. I like it artistic revolution From reading has been interpreted as quote abrupt changes from one art movement to another So I'm asking as a society Have we had that movement with our art? Are we currently engaged in one? Is there now a post-Walker movement? Is the legacy of the great Vincent Joseph Udavik now re-emerging through his son How is technology weighing in or featuring in this? Since art influences in a myriad of ways from changing opinions to implanting values To interpreting experiences throughout history. We know that it is a powerful tool of communication and More significantly, it is vital to our being as we connect through art Through what is essentially the repository of a society's memory. We are also invited to appreciate each other Throughout cultures and various time periods through images stories and sound We can accept the forceful perspective that art can be a conduit for social change Manifesting time and time again as we have all seen as we are moved by a song or an image Which can evoke pleasure tears anger disdain resolve Inspire resilience or promote action or for some it does nothing. I Hope we can explore this discourse the artistic revolution that's happening in our solution society today I look forward to the revolutionary perspectives that would be shared by our panelists and hope that the audience is inspired By this discussion as well. So Let us commence. Thank you thank you, Dr. Sinclair O'Geeves and We'll start with some introductions Firstly of myself your emcee Nicole Sadres thing I'm a Spanish lecturer at the South for Lewis Community College and I'm going to motion to our moderator for this event. He will just indicate Mr. Ernest Otley also a lecturer of the South for Lewis Community College. He lectures psychology and management and Mr. Otley has quite a few accolades under his belt as well I can tell that he's blushing on the inside and the outside too He's quite into music very involved with the arts music. He's a songwriter Producer former chairperson of the National Junior Calypso committee He's been involved in a number of Productions, he's the co-founder also of risen FM radio station And there's quite a few that we can add to the bio of mr. Ernest Otley here So he will be our esteemed moderator for this panel discussion and now an introduction of our very heterogeneous core of academics of Intellectuals of professionals of very talented St. Lucian's whom we are very very happy to have with us today And we'll start introducing them in the order in which they will present as well So we have our very own miss croissantiana Charles Who is the lecturer giving us the little Meghan Markle wave there a Lecture of architecture the south for Lewis. Yes, feel free to give a round of applause one of our own Lecture of architecture the south for Lewis community college. She has ten years Lecturing experience in the building department of the college. She presently holds The position of program coordinator of the architectural technology program holds a bachelor of arts degree in architecture from the University of Santiago de Cuba and And we move on to one of our very own as well Mr. Kennedy boots Samuel some familiar faces St. Lucian educator theater artists cultural manager cultural activists as you would be aware Currently serves as a lecturer here in communication studies and theater arts He's the whole of two master's degrees in education and arts Administration was to postgraduate diplomas in language education cultural management We also know one would be familiar with the fact that he has served as the executive director of two principal cultural institutions on Island the cultural development foundation and the Monsignor Patrick Anthony folk research Center is a very experienced theatrical practitioner and He has been the recipient of several MNC fine arts awards. Thank you so much. Mr. Kennedy boots Samuel for joining us Another one of our very own we have mr. Ted Sandifard who is a visual arts professional He is the founder of acid creations. You may be familiar with his work He's a media arts and and Acid creations is a media arts and animation company get at providing services such as 2d and 3d animation graphic designs caricatures a digital portrait photo editing acrylic painting Ted Sandifard is currently a lecturer and program coordinator for digital media at the South for those coming to college around of applause Please. Thank you. Welcome. Mr. Ted Sandifard A staunch theater activist Miss Drina Frederick one of our the lovely panelists is a graduate from the University of the West Indies Monacampus Jamaica and the Edna Manley School of Performing Arts. She's a director of stage and film She's a playwright and an actor and has been been involved in the arts in St. Lucia For I wonder if you could guess That's that's right 30 years. Yes over 30 years and has directed several major productions Some that you might be familiar with or should be familiar with and these include Papi show Papi show park Desiree revelations Jesus of Conway Serafina and them and the team day Drina Frederick is currently the director of events and production at the cultural development foundation Thank you. Miss Frederick and our final panelist. We have Mr. Jalem Udovi. Mr. Jalem Udovi We'll give us a little wave there. Oh And he's well known for his minimalistic and conceptual wooden block sculptures His highly skilled craftsmanship shows exceptional and one-of-a-kind talent. I'm sure we'll agree His sculptures are layered with creative force Caribbean wit spirituality and poetry all-encompassing work. Mr. Udovics a large-scale Bronze sculptures are just as impressive as his wooden sculptures The St. Lucian born artist has presented his work at several public art commissions in China Jalem also has his work showcase in various private collections in the Caribbean the United States Europe all around the world and His work is heavily influenced by various cultures primarily African culture as he says and I quote African contemporary or African traditional art also Western contemporary art His biggest influences. Okay. Thank you very much. You have your panelists. I am going to Hand you over to our esteemed moderator. Mr. Otley Thank you. So very much Mrs. Sadresing today art is in focus It is interestingly paired with the word revolution We have an equally interesting assemblage of panelists An architect to dramatists a digital media specialist and the sculptor They will explore the topic today Ladies and gentlemen, this is the academic discourse 2020 artistic Revolution we present to you our architect Crescentiana Charles I'm good afternoon ladies and gentlemen students I would like to acknowledge first and foremost the protocol established here this afternoon The word architect or architecture has many meanings and definitions from several different sources but I prefer using the art and practice of designing and making buildings with great emphasis on the physical and environmental sciences as This explanation best highlights the importance of all major disciplines associated with architecture In my humble opinion architecture is the mother of all art. Sorry. I'm a bit biased It is timeless. It's timeless as we are trying to discover its many mysteries an example is the great pyramids of Giza in Egypt constructed in approximately 1301 BC with 2 million 1 ton stone blocks reaching a height of 1.4 6 meters its scale stretching its limitations Stretching the limitations of construction by having squished crepes done An example is the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France completed in 1889 an and the architect an engineer Gustave Eiffel the towering height of the structure 324 meters all of all of iron and gaining the title of the tallest building in the world during the World's Fair in 1889 It is evolutionary designing with its environmental conditions pushing the boundaries of construction technologies building materials and location a good example is the Bahrif Khalif in Dubai United Emirates standing at a towering height of 229 meters and gaining the title of tallest building in the world present to date to Understand our architectural heritage in St. Lucia. Let us take a quick trip through our historical background Our true ancestors who should have shaped our architectural legacy or influence Should have been the caribs and arrowaxe the first settlers of the Caribbean They're building materials of choice simple timbers and Thatched materials kept to the elements sun rain out of their structures the engineering construction methods elevated structures or on the ground structures Were an artistic revolution in its own right? little evidence of the architectural prowess is known as several of Little sorry survived that particular period of their existence Moving forward towards the end of the 1400s as a result of circumstances that brought about colonialism and slavery during the 90 during the 1800s and throughout the mid-1800s Approximately 300 years of architectural heritage reigned over and dramatically changed the landscape of the Caribbean or even we could say the Americas The architectural dominant style came on stemmed from the Renaissance period the Rococo the Baruch period These buildings dotted the landscape of countries such as Cuba Jamaica Martinique and Barbados Martinique in the Caribbean region Mexico through to Panama in Central America and All the countries on the South American continent These manifested mainly in larger churches Cathedral plantation and estate homes Many of these buildings were copied from Europe However, they were replicas. However, they were they evolved Through scientific bases having them adapt to its environment Having also its elements of and functional spaces suit the environment within the Caribbean space Some significant adaptations That were used one of them with a roof Stip steep pitch roof to ensure the evacuation of Rainwater and also for its collection and of course to withstand hurricane conditions the fenestration we're talking about doors and windows the use of glass and The inclusion of vented spaces or elements to allow for the maximum influx of light and to wind While providing complete privacy to the interior of the space Amazingly these structures mentioned For instance the steep roof system was adopted from the simple structures used through its indigenous settlers the arrow acts and carrots our African ancestors were most instrumental in the construction of these buildings Contrary to popular belief at the time the African people were skilled and very learned race as fret work and gingerbread details adorned and established and sorry Well adorned and embellished the plantation houses with their contributions to the colonial architectural style During the period post 1939 the solutions independence in 1979 Almost a hundred and forty years the architectural landscape of Saint Lucia Was dominated and dictated by her colonial country The importation of its civic military and residential buildings and the development of the urban landscape is To date stenooshes legacy architectural legacy therefore technically one can conclude Salisha does not have her own architectural style This is evidence in well-known buildings that exist to date in the civic building the castries markets The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in castries the military building St. Mary's College site at VG and of course our very own South Lewis Community College more unfortunate The residential building the government the governor general residence more unfortunate Moreover persons seeking their own homes during that hundred and forty-year period Use the floor layouts of the large plantation homes on a very reduced scale To adapt and construct their dwellings The construction of the typical residential dwelling is what is now indigenous to st. Lucia There are two notable types The beautiful three-story buildings which lined brazil's streets in the 1970s and 80s the one that comes to mind very clearly is the rain restaurant Were part of the upper-class residential landscape the single-story buildings along Riverside Road and Shostey Road Were part of the middle-class residential landscape one that comes to mind very clearly is the walk-out building The architectural landscape of post-independence period Shifted its eye and its vision to North America in its movement towards modernism simply put We adopted the rectangular reinforced metal glass box Which created a new urban fabric and landscape of St Lucia? Multisory buildings are being built each with its own micro climates Creating now a new environment for the use and the exploit of significant energy consumption Sadly the majority of these buildings after a few years become now breeding grounds and they are now considered to be stick buildings Ensuring our architecture remains and become sustainable is An elusive concept and has diverse definitions In a straightforward way it means a current development should not harm the interests of the future generations We must consider development through one urban transformation and two sustainable architecture As a tool is interconnected Under sustainable urban transformation it will deal with location and environment and Sustainable architecture encompasses the constructed or the construction of new buildings Both elements are the framework and are particularly important for the future development and the changes that will occur within the physical economic social environmental aspects impacting architecture and urban development Our architectural landscape can be revitalized through ambitious endeavors, but must be economical realistic and balanced The economic transformation often provides opportunities through technology technological advancements One of which is in the use of green and recyclable materials in the conduct in the construction industry Further it must have the ability to be flexible for the rapid changes occurring in the urban condition We must understand human behavior the incorporation and vitalization of green and blue spaces green spaces we're talking about parks and gardens and blue spaces water elements and the re-energizing of our rivers revitalizing the functional methods of older homes Can be used for creating and realizing enormous potential energy savings within our architectural landscape revitalizing urban and architectural fabrics Begin to open opportunities for the development of public and social inclusion sustainable urban and architectural transformation is More than creating a technical sustainable urban area stimulating economic economic development and Frankly, just developing policies that look good on paper It must engage attract and excite people About the new opportunities of life today and into the future In order for the population to work seriously to understand and implement a new way of thinking as it relates to climate change and climate preservation Thank you miss Christen Tiana Charles a child of the alleged mother of art not sure what Mr. Kennedy Boots Samuel will have to say about that, but we take great pleasure in Introducing him at this point in time. Mr. Kennedy Boots Samuel greetings brothers and sisters greetings family family of our creole community family of the arts I was told to come and participate in a discussion on artistic revolution and boy My mind was just spinning us. It's a panel discussion. So I just need to make a few Remark that will open up discussion and so on What do I do as an artist etc? Let me start by seeing Revolution this would revolution and change it is natural to life It is natural to life and culture the way of life of a people It is natural However Very interestingly it is natural to art art is revolution I'm privileged to sit at a table there with a number of revolutionaries really Revolutionaries who create They create they produce new things That add to a current reality and change reality. This is the nature of art. This is revolution and change Revolution is natural to art and so the artist Naturally a revolutionary With his creation Work is production. He shapes our community. He or she shapes our community Changes our community develops our community takes us places we would even anticipate because they are on the horizon of Our reality and from that The imagination source and the create and bring the imagination into some physical form that changes our World our reality our society as you know it They bring it out in what we call art So art is about you Artistic revolution, I don't know if this meant to see that we have an art Revolution starting or how can we start an art revolution in St. Lucia? however because of what I said at first you would realize that Revolution is always happening in St. Lucia artistic revolution That is always happening happens all the time We are really honest in our church and our investigation of our lives and so it is At the heart of our development as a people is art and Culture is the story of our art and culture. I've been around for quite a while yes from the Late 50s I was born in late 50s. I went through the 60s and there are some significant things I can just pull out and Show that the art and the revolution has always been happening in St. Lucia When I began to understand things in the 60s, especially things arts related You know, I knew about the arts guild The art guild and artists Who going against the grain at the time in the heart of colonial domination and so on were creating things As St. Lucia's putting out things regular theater productions going to carnival development of carnival development of the steel band with the Royal Cut Brothers on choosy rude and so on Producing an art guild is right now iconic Iconic in St. Lucia and in the St. Lucia story in the St. Lucia cultural story in the 70s Black Power swept the region black power So I'm coming from America to train that swept the region and out of it this Tremendous interest in understanding ourselves for not how they had taught us but now better to know Know ourselves and the artists were at their heart and that of this Of this change and this revolution and so on of course, we know the coming of rastafarianism Rastafari and everything associated with it artistic culinary arts Vegetarianism and so on coming from them the reggae music reggae music always at the heart of struggle and revolution a particular music dedicated to change and Revolution and given voice voice to oppressed people Calypso Calypso music Claiming our identity and reshaping changing the identity they've given us of ourselves as a subordinate people Suppressed people and looking at ourselves as a free and beautiful people the original people that can give so much to the world Art was doing that it produced the folk research center as an institution okay, that stimulated Art and culture that made us look at our language You know and the tremendous riches we have in terms of creating and how much we can give to the world as a creole people The wall cuts remember Stanley friend writing up French writing a play at that time the rape of fair Helen the rip of fair Helen talk about revolution fair Helen was sent Lucia I'm going right back To the 70s In the 70s and the 80s Revolution all the time Jalem your father your father was there and your father became almost classical with the Sculpture that he did this was cast classical solution, but He didn't take before there was revolution even in there a little organization just emerged almost Rebelling from your father and the sculpture the organization called the camp with Kenneth Lawrence some of you Are the ones who remember Kenneth Lawrence and say and they came almost like a That was your father and so on in the sculpting in the sculptor business and so on a militant appearance I'm Kenneth Lawrence and and the camp And of course we do our reggae music police with him on Jimmy Jomo is here Right there straight from that Jomo in the 80s In the 80s nobody was teaching us our schools was not doing art nothing on so on but That was happening revolution is happening people found the strength because art will always happen and you had Organizations, let me signal something like the peat it simply see Some of you would remember a tremendous organization of people on trained artists They train themselves and expose themselves connected themselves to the world But put it simply seated so much artistic work looking at st. Lucia and Examining development in St. Lucia Doing social art doing revolutionary art in dance in theater, etc. Even challenge the world Even challenge the the church Coming and joining like Robert Lee some of you would remember production called moments Revolutionary production Okay, and then popular theater throughout the 70s from the late 70s going to the 80s We knew of traditional theater on stage Lordy door Procenium arts and so on and there was St. Lucia's coming right through and doing theater Spreading theater all over St. Lucia groups like about 15 groups or so All over St. Lucia doing theater, but doing a new kind of theater that found its vocabulary from our culture Literally Researched our culture took out forms and began doing a new kind of theater and giving empowering lots of people Not only what we call artists, but people a group of farmers elder farmers in for Seja using theater to explain Their interests in deforest this deforestation thing and so on and using it as part of St. Lucia Always happening and then the Creole language the explosion of the Creole language led by the the work of the folk research center and movement Creole and What happened out of that that Creole movement had what they call cells in many communities Okay, producing producing language art stimulating writing of poetry Terminating right even the writing that bring it together of a Creole writing system or Orthography are from which artists lyrical artists can use to create art always happen The revolution is always there in the 90s So the power of soka Calypso oh Coming from the late 70s to I must mention Calypso and the development of something like the takeover tent virtual revolution by itself is Rastafarian's emerging onto thing and all Calypso just ponging down African liberation and black liberation and so revolution Okay, and then we come now into the soka We see the denry segment follows coming and with new things, etc. And in the 90s right now into the technology We see revolutionaries like Ted emerging in the digital media film Digital media the DJ is now becoming artists replacing bands DJ a big Artistic shows a DJ on stage mixing, etc. And the samplers, etc. So the revolution is always there Our issue has been our issue has been How much we have been an obstacle to that revolution? How much our society our community has not recognized the importance of that revolution to our development are going and have spent Yes decades centuries Trying to put them down our artists trying to hide them trying to destroy them We have jailed them. We have prevented them from touring here We have treated them unfairly in terms of they are really entrepreneurs investors and so on but artists have not been able to get Loans in the banks and so on very unfair treatment in relation to other business businesses and so on Okay, so we have it. I was given a notice that my time is over. So let me just make two points as to what is needed The revolution is always happening. The artists are there but We need to invest and facilitate that it continues rather than become the obstacles and the enemies Which is what we have been the just what the society have been and we always find that the artist is in a struggle the struggling artists and secondly We need to protect our roots Because we are we'll talk about sustainability of the art sustainability of our development the only the way we sustain ourselves If if we understand Sustain our roots. That's what roots us down. That's Roots and the roots anchor us the roots Sustain us, and I'm sorry. I know you gave me a time thing But I want to end with a huge statement. Let the artist speak This is Kendall Hippolit with a poem called fashioners of progress and It's speaking for the artist here He refers to himself as a poet, but think of all the other revolutionaries as we read it Because you did not heed the voices of imagination neither the tongues of trees nor the voices of poets Earth will erupt in a conspiracy of nature earthquake and landslide will snap and grind to rubble your barl high idols of concrete and metal Fire will shrivel the prefabricated palaces swelling like boils on our inflamed land Wind will shatter the thin cocktail glass illusions of our progress into glittering dust Scattering over the ruins of casinos and the high-rise cemeteries made low high-rise cemeteries made low Some of you would see what's happening in the shock cemetery with the CDC's we are burying people in CDC's right now See nation at our degraded shoreline will foam corrosive spume that will dissolve your headstones They will return to sand, but the poet's words will last you will have them prophesying in the hurricane They're warnings in the night sea whispering towards your chambers It will be the poet's words coming at you in the thundering summon of the landslide in the revenge in winds Swearing down through the valley the crackling of the sun gone wild and when the earth has had her say and Retribution afterwards in the green time of healing there will be other words given to other poets They will be precious stones with healing properties mixed with dirt folded in leaves and used as poultices They will protect the children who reside them, but these words now are for you David stones found at the river of reflection and gathered in a poem ready Come fashioners of progress come you hold the steel cuffs of the law the silver coins of bribery the gun but When you see a poet writing poems run Thank you Thank you, mr. Kennedy boots Samuel someone who has been around in the art for So much time that he needs quite a bit of time to get his stuff done of course we can take away from his presentation that Art is always associated with change and art is a natural part of us and With that we take great pleasure in introducing our next panelist One of the new revolutionaries mr. Ted Sandiford Good afternoon everyone Please allow me to adopt the protocol already established. I Was there to speak about I was called here to speak about digital media, but I cannot speak about digital media alone without tying in Traditional art because without traditional art there would be no digital media art has had a critical role in shaping the modern world It works hand-in-hand with innovation evolving our Society and state of being as we evolve it We are in the year 2020 We are surrounded by technology and technological advancements We are playing on the numbers 2020 by saying this year we have 2020 vision The reality is many of us are blind Some people choose to embrace art and show every level of appreciation for the craft Others choose to deny art as being part of their lives in our Saint Lucian society It seems that the latter of these two mentalities Dominate to send light into darkness of men's heart such is the duty of the artist If we talk about sustainability art must come to play one way or the other Before we talk about the present and the future we need to discuss the past Across history art has been used to push agendas and ideologies Art has evolved with us from cave paintings used to recount events To hieroglyphics used to record data and information To Mayan calendars to medicine To architecture and engineering to cartography Art has been a survival tool Art conveys information as well as emotion Art is the ultimate asset to make the unknown attractive As we advance in tech in technology art advances as well nothing changes if nothing changes In today's modern society, we are constantly surrounded by art. We are exposed to art countless times on a daily basis The moment we awake we turn off our alarm and check our phone It was designed by an artist We brush our teeth the label on the toothpaste was designed by an artist We eat cereal the box was designed by an artist We jump into our vehicle which was first conceptualized by an artist Let's look at your your garments the design on your garment. It was designed by an artist, okay? That logo you see there It was designed by an artist. All right. I Could go on and on but you you catch my drift Technology is always changing life Human beings have the desire to communicate. They want to be heard Means of communication have also evolved and guess what art is moving right along with it The heart of social media is art Art is the bridge for effective communication It is the link between many cultures and people It's amazing how human beings adapt and find creative ways of expression and displaying art in the modern world Recent studies have shown that children's hands are losing their dexterity They cannot form clay and Do things differently because they are constantly holding iPhones tablets. Okay, and using the mouse They are having they are having a difficult time in holding the scissors to pen to manipulate objects So these children They are still directed towards art, but a different kind of art augmented reality digital sculpting photo manipulation digital art 3d animation 2d animation film The term you don't need to be able to draw to produce another fantastic piece is coming to play in the modern era Being an art teacher for 18 years at St. Mary's College I noticed an increase in the number of students choosing graphic design as an option for CXC In my first year of teaching in 2010 percent of students opted to do graphic design by 2018 100 percent of SMC visual arts students chose the option of graphic design Nobody chose traditional drawing It is not a coincidence Coincidence that the digital media class at Sir Arthur Lewis Community College is filled and we already have people waiting in line for the next academic year The interest is growing and will continue to grow in digital art the question is Do we have the technological tools needed to push this art in St. Lucia? With proper funding and investment. I think we can okay, and Just let me note Art is evolving and we are still keeping the tradition for example. Let me state Okay, so Instead of using the traditional pencil Okay, we use the iPad We draw we are using the same principles adopted by Leonardo da Vinci to get the proportions of the face and so on Okay, and then in a printer We produce our piece on canvas we are using the same principles I'm stressing on that because I Often have to defend digital arts from traditional artists With traditional artists because they said they claim that art digital art is cheating but at the end of the day the keyword here is creativity Using what the tools that you have and sorry to sound harsh, but we have to be up to the time Why am I doing all this? Why am I stressing stressing so much importance on the role art plays in society? In our small St. Lucian society, I find that we artists are Constantly we have to constantly remind people of the importance of art Many solutions still don't get it. I Still find myself trying to convince parents to allow their child to do visual arts because they possess a men's skill We get resistance from people in all walks of life For this country to move forward There must be a shift in the attitudes of its people another obstacle faced in St. Lucia is that many young artists become become confused about technology They believe that all art should be new and fresh Technology is only a tool a Young artist needs to grow inward and accept and expect sorry and accept his or herself and then This will come outwards to gain acceptance from others The avenue to help budding artists and find to find themselves is education The education system needs to begin programs in the arts at an early age not secondary school from kindergarten I Won't deny the fact that art awareness is increasing in St. Lucia and the wider world art always Art will always mean different things to different people today. However It's anything you want art to be There are artists who take bold steps and Use the idea that art is all about expression They leave it up to the public to decide if it's art or not. I Will leave you by mimicking an art piece done a controversial art piece done recently understand artist These gentlemen also seem to be dabbling in the field of comedy as an art Just for the record I Want to let you know that I did give mr. Sandiford his time queue digitally We can certainly take away from that Presentation that art is the link between culture and people interestingly The question pops up do the artist or the artist really Understand what art is and probably that's something we would need to this to discuss a little later on But what was frightening? I don't know if I should be scared about it was the idea of loss of motor skills by young people Up for discussion again All right To move things along a Dramatist at heart if you do know her in person Goes by the name of dream of Frederick and we take great pleasure in welcoming her to the podium When I first got this invitation, I asked me cool. Are you sure you want me here most times? I'm a bit controversial and most artists who tell you they disagree with me because My image and my view of art and artistic expression is quite different. I Don't believe in the philosophy of the struggling Starving artists walking on a beach writing poems art artistic Revolution art supposed to imitate life and sometimes life imitates art Every movement in the world Was pushed by an event Propelled by some sort of Revolution and to coincide with the revolution an Artistic expression was born or gave fruit to the revolution to aid it on its quest art in itself is a means of expression an Expression that is supposed to strengthen an ideology a state of being and Ultimately if we look and we go back in time Moving towards what I call modernization Now I know you're all looking at me already. So here it goes If we go back to the 14th century, we all know that there was a rebirth in knowledge Going back to the classics and of course that gave both to Columbus come in here the Exploitation of slavery the whole scheme of things that has put us right here into the Caribbean Along with that Renaissance came that birth of theater That has evolved over that period of time We no longer sit outside in a big amphitheater and shout and stand on platform heels and say That's game the city We have now moved into theaters with sound engineering lighting Digital aids we have now moved into a state where the art theater is now merging with film Theater is now merging with other forms of entertainment And I will draw reference to Calypso as a child when I went to Marsha To listen to Calypso even before at the town hall there was no such thing as a elaborate presentation if we look at the evolution of Calypso presentations It started off. I believe in Vader Started the revolution Came on stage and he did this song with this whole African presentation and people said no He won because of his presentation. That's not right and he didn't deserve to win the following year he came back and He came on stage and he sang just as I am again a form of presentation Since then Calypso presentations have changed into massive productions Okay, the input of theater short scenes on stage before the song starts short scenes during the song and Now it has evolved to a state where you cannot go to a competition without seeing something on the big screen You cannot enter a competition without having a short video Compiled with theater that is the revolution that has happened in terms of Art in St. Lucia if we go back and we look at the art skill in their time It was a revolution. It was revolutionary that people who were colonized was still able to produce art Still having a renaissance to go back into their culture and traditions and pull up images of that to put on stage We see that with popular theater Of course reference to PT said we see they developed a whole new system of dance based on our traditions And of course, I would like to demonstrate. I mean most of us know this classical move So we have developed Our own revolution based on our own renaissance Roots theater That was a renaissance going around That was used as a means of advocacy Okay, I remember Planned Parenthood using popular theater spreading ideas that radical sense however Since then has the revolution died how Has this revolution transmitted itself towards modernization and towards our current society What is the message that we are carrying two things has happened There is a revolution. There's a digital revolution and There's a revolution of what I call aesthetics We no longer want to go to events where it is bare We want to see smoke and mirrors When we go to see a production, we rate it as good if it has lots of fog And I guess I am guilty of that part of the revolution It must have the banks of lighting It must look like something that we have seen when we have gone to see a Broadway production And we expect to replica what we have seen in the first world in our 238 square miles of limited resources and we expect that We expect that when performance come on stage that it is of the same quality as that world standard however have we created a revolution in terms of Creating one an environment for that revolution to foster what we see in the first world to create those standards here in terms of understanding the art as a business and I go back to say That there's a new renaissance of understanding the business of art. I Think I've been around long enough To tell you that I've seen Artistic expression theater sculpting move from that's our hobby To now people are understanding that you need to pay for it So then now Do we continue or is the revolution loss or we develop a new revolution where we now create systems Where we can monetize this art Our artistic expression that benefits us as a society and as individuals. I know what I'm saying you're raising your eyebrows But that's okay how We have found a way somewhat maybe they're on to something we have created Senhuja as a festival destination Where we have made an attempt to monetize it through tourism How is that going to work? All of these advances Senhuja has about 10 or 12 festivals How does that translate? to the artists and how does that translate in terms of Gaining a living out of it. Is it profitable? Are we still at a point where and this is a fact where Senhuja has not developed a system to Identify what is the contribution of cultural and artistic expression to the GDP and this is a fact Is it that? We have a new revolution of trying to discover what that is the revolution of the artists learning how to Understand the world system of entertainment and when I say that learning the business of the art Learning how do I fit into that? We often speak about The internet and YouTube and I can post my videos and my songs. How do you monetize that? How do you gain from that? Where do you fit into the scheme of things? How do you create a product that the world Now comes to you Where you are on your own terms and you can dictate and negotiate that the terms of the deal We always create a situation where we're always looking Abroad we're always looking to them to hand them something and say yes I have created this demo. Can you please sign me on to your label? Can you please sign me on to your film company? Can you please sign me on you have no power? So is it now the point where we have to start a new revolution where we empower ourselves as artists as Solutions in understanding the system and the business of arts creating policy Creating a means where we educate persons About art forms about ourselves where it came from how we started the point in which we're going and where we're going and How we can monetize this in terms of our benefit as a country in terms of our benefit in terms of What we are now trying to figure out as our cultural and creative industries And I will stop here because you're looking at me. I'm available for questions. Thank you very perceptive indeed this Frederick dream your Frederick of course the big takeaway here is that art is business and The big question or the big concern is that it is business that needs to be harnessed and Monetized thank you very much for those provocative thoughts. And so we turn to our final panelist Mr. Jalem Yudovic Welcome him. I think it's very important to start with Funkin Ted for the free meal and I was asked to grind with whoever Organize or range the sitting the speaking the speaking order because it's absolutely wicked To have me in the last after all these very profound speakers, you know Revolution what is it? I mean, it's a huge huge word. It's a it's a big word which operates on multiple levels, there's personal revolution and There's a revolution that you know connotes Politics and Revolution in the grandest sense of the word. I believe that before we could delve into this topic We first have to understand What is revolution? We have to define revolution to ourselves as the as the people What is a revolution? Who is it for? Why is the revolution and I believe that? When we understand or figure out these questions, we will be able to ascertain whether or not we have we've had revolutions And whether we are in a revolution right now and revolution is a word that is often confused with evolution Which is something that naturally happens to the to the human being something that normally happens to to the spirit and Often it confused with proliferation as well because You could be prolific you can see artists all of a sudden Engaging in a certain activity painting walls all over the place and so on But is that really a revolution? Is that challenging the norms or society the the state of school? The politics is it causing people to think Meanwhile the outside world is looking at us and seeing us as being derivative I'm chasing our tails in a in a in a circle and not elevating to the a certain international conversation and not becoming part of a Much broader movement that is going on in the world right now, which is one of self actualization and self identity I just came from Miami where there's a huge movement that is sort of attached with the black lives Well came off came out of that kind of philosophy of of the of the black person being marginalized in a society and there is an act as a fundamental tool to sort of challenge these prejudices and Dominion things that that exists within the society. So, you know, I I see that as a sort of a revolution My definition for a revolution would be an artistic revolution would be When artists coalesce or galvanize around a certain philosophical commonality that often bring force change That's my revolution. That's that's my definition of a revolution kissing points When I when I when I presented the sculpture and you run about That was a personal revolution for me and I had every intention of upsetting society Every intention of creating the bit of causing a ripple in the water I mean, I didn't want to in my work to be ignored. I wanted it to be relevant In shaping in the shaping of you know, the afford processes of our people and how we said determine how we said actualize How we move forward, you know, because to me art is not The answer that is simply a tool or you know mechanism key if you will that you know gives us a certain a Certain privilege to unlock much bigger questions, you know, because we are all in life. We are all in this existence For one reason or the other and I believe that our key purpose is to sort of Find our certain path in the in existence and we could do so as individuals or we could do so as the collective But it's always better to do so as a collective At as an aesthetic I believe that art as an aesthetic is Is is art that functions at a very low frequency level, you know I mean nothing wrong with that, you know, if you want to use art as an aesthetic Go ahead do your thing Because the the art society the the art system is very multi-tiered and you have to know what part you want to engage in, you know, but As an aesthetic To me is not revolutionary Art as as having a greater agenda like the way China uses art right now The is not aesthetically they use it to develop the society to develop the psyches of the people, you know So I have participated in in many public art commissions in in China seven to date In various cities in China and when I get my you know, I'm your directive Is it's never about aesthetics? It's always about the much broader picture. China is moving towards this this I'm your direction and You know, and they want the people minds to be elevated or to be in a sort of Synchronosity with that broader vision. So, you know, so so we see art as a fundamental tool in galvanizing society and Getting to a certain end Have we had a revolution in St. Lucia, I believe yes You know listening to the boots Who was actually there during the The period was what was it called when I'm St. Oma and they go out and came together and did that thing It was as good. I believe that was definitely a revolution because you know, the stereotypical image of who we were and Was defined by Europeans. It was it was a very colonial You know image is a very colonial Way that we will have looked at, you know, and these guys absolutely Turn everything upside down You have said we're painting murals of black Jesus is everywhere all over the island. That was a revolution You know, I mean you had Derek Walker saying poetry about the fishermen the officials of the of the various villages That was there was a was a revolution and I remember Derek said it one of his interviews that the the impenalty of colonialism Was that the mango tree was never as good as a oak tree Because Shakespeare wrote about the oak tree and there was no one writing about the mango tree and you know, and to me that was a very profound statement and What he endeavored to do was to give the the mango tree the same dignity as a oak tree Right and right now we can stand and eat the mango and think of one of Derek's poem You feel like you eat in poetry and essentially that was what France and and every Elevated or civilization that I wish is that I've gotten to the apex in the world Have embraced the philosophy of art as a developmental Transformative thing when you drink a bottle of water from France. It's just ordinary water. You drink, you know, it's no better than our Paradise Springs water But when you and buy this water, you are in Barbie the entire marketing campaign of Very creative people that make you feel like you and if the Eiffel Tower and there's valence playing wise drinking that water so there's an economical aspect to it as well and in a society that puts artists and creative people at the forefront I dare say All your problems are solved instantly. I believe art is a is a panacea is what? unlocks the imagination Right and what we face in right now is a creative crisis is a crisis of the critical Mine, we are not a critically thinking people in our In our whole right every single problem that we have You you talk about littering is the problem of the critical mind or lack thereof of critical thoughts You know because when you think you could just throw a bag of trash over Over the bush and the problem is solved that that means you're not thinking critically you're not thinking of that trash going into the river and reveling into the ocean, right, you know, and I Mean the way we build are we are we building in concert with the landscape? Are we are we building it concert with the environment? You know, I mean I've been to villages where people put the balconies away from the ocean and the sunset, you know, that is not a critical thought you know, when you are inclined to take the life of your of your brother or your Sister for something as trivial as demo in your few bucks You are not figuring critically and you are you are you are not aligned with the transcendent thoughts or spirituality of the universe that acts gives you inherently and My time is up Well, I could be a palapata and going forever. So I'd like to end with saying that You know, it is time that We have a government of artists and You know, I believe that is our our salvation, you know, and that's a revelation in that we need. Thank you Thank you so very much, mr. Jalem and Art that merely serves the purpose of superficial aesthetics. He says is not revolutionary That is profound. Of course art is revolutionary When it is designed to disturb the mind and I use the word disturb their thinking reflecting on the words of the writing of Ja Piaget who says that learning Only takes place in the environment of this equilibrium. So when there's this equilibrium, there's learning taking place Thank you so very much, mr. Jalem And we are this point according to my timepiece We are about ten minutes to the hour of two o'clock and I expect that the audience would want to ask a few questions and We would allow for that for the next ten minutes and perhaps I can start things rolling by Asking of the panelists and anyone can Answer it's a it's a burning question and something that we cannot leave The room without getting a handle on it was mentioned earlier You go to a museum or you Great work of art that looks as if you can get some paint take a brush and just splash it on that canvas and Someone will look at it and say hey That's worth a million and You think that you can do it. What's the what's the big deal? many of us Are not really aware of what art is Not like us to leave the room without hearing from the panelists Some kind of definition some kind of idea as to what really is art. What is art? The microphone seems to be passing Okay, I need to stress that art is communication Okay, the artist is trying to Send a message out now the person Who takes to that message as in I'm talking about the abstract art you talking about the the splashes of pins and whatnot Okay, that person will pass and they will look at it and they will have this connection to it They Based on the way the colors are on what not do they will gravitate towards that. That's why I have observed that Realistic art as in realism is on the decline Realism doesn't sell Ab an abstract piece will sell quicker and it's more conversational I can see somebody in fact. I've seen people stand in front of an abstract piece and just Have a conversation for hours about what they think it is take for example, you will go by the round about you have for fellas on On the on the rose and so on and there's no boat That's a who's the madman not do that But Gaza you and no Gaza check that the boat can be there, you know, it is invisible But the fellas moving towards the yes, they will they will stand there for hours and at the end of the day Okay, they will have an appreciation for the art, okay? So I would say it's a connection the artist is come making is communicating to His or her audience so art is essentially subjective. It is subjective. It is subject and I Would say that we have we fall victims to that because I still cannot understand how they mark CXC art Because I've had some of my top students going and do that and they feel By doing top pieces and some of my weak students They pass because art is indeed subjective All right, and because that I know that I often tell my students don't do anything political don't do anything religious and It is Mr. Samuel. Yeah, it is subjective but subjective to the artist to Good piece of art so beauties in the eye as he says his communication a good piece of art We created Not just the art not just the artist we create we create meaning we create thing our engagement with it Oh, and your engagement of everybody here with a good piece of art will be all different It may all come out if a different opinion of it a different whatever But that's what makes it good. And as I said, I did give a kind of a definition of art is the creative the creative imagination being put in a form where it is communicative Within this hidden this physical just one little side thing with the guys in a boat where there's no boat I Did I was fortunate to be around some fellas really Trying to make out what that day and what kind of pop issue is that just they put on us Nothing But I do all kinds of interpretation, but the one that really got you was a straight political one Once he died for us You see that the fellas that in the boat there that is Alan just me guy Joseph Dominic Fede and then they give the mayor doesn't Francis arrived I Told you there's a thing for comedy among the panelists but in the interest of in the interest of time and in Kind of nailing down the the topic if art is subjective how can it be revolutionary and and if and if it is Revolutionary and subjective at the same time Would not that be a breeding ground for chaos as opposed to unity Well speaking from the perspective of what Performance and theater is supposed to do it is supposed to create that sort of cathartic Moment in the audience when you'll come face-to-face with a situation or an experience That causes a change in your life whether you leave the theater whether the production was about spousal abuse and You've now come face-to-face with your own abuse and you leave the theater with this conviction that I have to create a change Or you leave with the experience that this is the reality for some people and I am not alone and There's a parallel will be on mine, and this is an experience of somebody else. This is somebody else's story and Essentially, it's a telling of stories as to whether that is subjective Yes, it is as to whether it is chaos Yes, it is and of course chaos breeds creativity and It is that chaos that allows us to be individuals It allows us to create ourselves in terms of Saint Lucia itself is an amalgamation of very interesting people This place seems chaotic, but yet still there's a function It is said that Saint Lucia has the most talented people Creative people and of course if I can quote you there, what is the outlet for that creativity? Of course, some people may say that creativity might turn to violence Maybe that explains all of the aggression but The revolution that has occurred is that creativity has evolved and Whether or not you like the denry segment. It is that Creativity of living in a village living wherever in Saint Lucia. I don't have a job. I don't have this I don't have that but I could bust a tune and Sing about my reality and sing about the things that mean something to me And it is that that has created that revolution whether it is still at the level of a subculture Or whether it has broken through mainstream that propels the society To the point where we are even talking about it Whether we were talking about that at the roundabout because I can tell you I was part of the unveiling of the sculpture at the roundabout and For me standing there at that moment when it was unveiled the general public Had an arm moment. I Don't know if it was shock or or So they were surprised but it generated This whole conversation Whether we want to take it on a political train whether we want to take it on an individual train in terms of getting us to the point to understand ourselves as A society and where we're going and you know what? after that sculpture in the next I predict Ten five years they will be more and then there'll be less talk and less chatter This is what it's supposed to do that cathartic moment whether you want to take it in a positive sense or negative sense sense to that is what it does in essence according to socialist theory conflict does bring change it is what we do With that revolution that comes out of it I think it's only fair that we give a few opportunities to the audience to ask some questions and We can take one Thank you panelist. I Think the question of what is art is a very very serious question, and I'm seldom satisfied with the answer I find it's Subjective yes, but the whole issue of what it is I've come up with my own definition which I'd like to share I think art is created any time a human being in Tavine's in his own environment and does a rearrangement quote-unquote In other words, I can take my cell phone and rest it here and claim this to be art and I'm the artist And you see that happening a lot now in the what you call Yes, the banana and so We can extend the idea to traditional methods like I can take paint which is on a canvas I've made a rearrangement. I've take it from here and I've put it there carbon from a pencil I've drawn there must be human intervention anything a human human being does To cause some kind of rearrangement of objects anything within the environment. I think it's art so I cannot claim that the The night the lovely clouds at sunset is out. I can't claim that as an artist. I did not intervene to create that I think broadly if you take it on that level It defines art Any arrange thing anything you do to cause a change it can be in a recording you sing some song There's a stage you dance and you you do something different. This is this is art Now I know that definition artists do not like because at the end of the day it makes everybody an artist But everyone is an artist. They are different levels Okay, I think that there is a Level of it where aesthetic sensibility matters Miss Frederick you mentioned the business aspect Creating for purpose to sell if it doesn't meet the aesthetic sensibilities of your market. You're not a sell anything Thank you. Thank you all right again we That definition making it even more fragmented and more subjective in terms of what art is and I Think a revolution has to do with some coming together around and ideal So that a certain cause can be forwarded. I am Not quite certain what the panelists would Have to share on that There's a question We have a lot of difficulty trying to determine what art is Perhaps the panelists could Just shed a little light on what it is not What it is not I'm saying this simply because the case of the banana and what Mr. Fever just Crawford a while and It's a I believe where we have some difficulty Is when we start to put a price on it? We miss that too Really what the problem is not whether it's at but whether we agree or accept The monetary value that has been placed on it. So I would like to hear from the panelists what it is not What is art not okay It my personal view what has convoluted the The art the the perception of art now is primarily the the market that act you know exist in art art now is a is a Investment commodity is a is a good. It has become a commodity that is you know manipulated by Certain powers that be you know like for example that I'm a banana thing Right someone bought it for hundred and fifty thousand dollars was it you know and I'm sure that they're going to reset it for 300,000 dollars It would have rotten buddy, but the artist But the but the artist is going to just put another one there and sit down as part of his Philosophy all along like it had to deteriorate right so to me and I also appreciate that I've had you know, you know because there's a thought process there So I am not one to like bash or to criticize And an artist creative process or the product that comes from an artist because um, you know because other people will Have a different views and they will see that's different. Yeah, and he's pushing the envelope. It is revolutionary, etc I think what is not you know artists not In sincere, you know, I think when when art is not done out of love or a certain level of honesty or spirituality then to me it is not art But to go back to the question. What is that? What art what is not yes, but I also wanted a stab at you know what it is, you know I believe that that's what's important I believe that art is a certain reconciliation with the ineffable a very personal ineffable because all of us have things that we like to interpret and we also I mean all do so differently in different ways to to bring life and shape and manifestation to certain things that we have in our minds and in our You know in our creation and I believe that's what art is, you know Mr. Yeah, I I don't have an answer and I'll try to answer. I will question Why is it so necessary for us to come down to some conclusive definition of what art is? It's a very dangerous thing to do because we will be surprised Art by its nature as I said is revolutionary Change and we will go and put a box around this and see this is artists and tomorrow Somebody will come up with something that will astound you as Contemporary art is doing now as compared and I think we better think more in terms of the role the communication that that that Ted tried to stress so much the kind of engagement that this particular thing that which we are trying to define because it Will appear in all kinds of different forms that will continue to astound you and it is and that That process is trying to put out definition a box and so on is actually entering the power Games in the society by doing that you give some people power to be able to marginal Marginalize or press some others and say this is not art or say do support that or say That's what I think that some who may be who may be questioning may be wondering if we can Define art it possibly would help us to understand and support the artist who want us to support Their art but if I give the microphone to her I must say that we must be able to create standards for ourselves and Not because you come up with a song that says run Put a beat to it that it is some profound art that would transform lives But it's those same standards that we have to try to create Terms of creating a system for ourselves these same artists Talks about the value of your work that you place on it You have to create some sort of standards a centoma is not the same as Some body who has just begun. This is a master. So are you saying that okay? So mastery his work is worth that much they to the To the committee, let me let me say one quick word to the committee Doctor it looks as though we need a part two of of the discourse and and We are quickly running out of time. So we will Just have a contribution from just sent you what she was trying to say about standards a lot of people hire an architect and they give us a Preview of what they want, but yet still when we produce Those drawings we take time. We put our creative effort The first thing they begin to say no, no, no No, I need a small house with a big bedroom a big kitchen and a large living room But they only have x amount of money to construct that building so we must begin to have some level of standards within our Artistic element for us to say no, this is what has to happen for your amount of money or for your That's why we're getting mad