MORE than 204 entries are vying for enticing prizes in the Guyana Visual Arts Competition, being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

The Guyana Visual Arts Competition and Exhibition was re-launched this August, after a 20-year hiatus, at the request of artists in Guyana; and it continues a tradition that was started in 1994 with the National Exhibition of the Visual Arts.

In a brief interview on the eve of the recent annual Edgar Mittleholzer Lecture series, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr. Frank Anthony said the competition was revived, after several years, at the behest of His Excellency, President Donald Ramotar, in order to give recognition and support to the creative work of Guyanese in the Visual Arts.

“We know that we have a lot of talented individuals in Guyana, but they didn’t have an outlet or have a competition of high calibre to take part in, and win prizes and get their work recognized,” Dr Anthony said. “And so, after a lot of deliberation and consideration, we decided that we would have this new competition.”

The President launched the competition at the Office of the President in August. Speaking at the launch, President Ramotar expressed conviction that the competition would further lift the quality of artistic work and discover the many talents hidden in various parts of Guyana.

“I think we have the raw material here to really produce very high-quality work coming from a multi-ethnic society,” President Ramotar said, as he spoke of multiculturalism and the vision of amalgamating the different cultural backgrounds into one common identity.

He believes that if there were to be an entry in this competition that represents the aforementioned, including the magnificent landscape of the country’s interior and hinterland regions, it would be fantastic work.

“The raw material is there to capture a lot of the natural beauty, apart from the condition of life of people in every part of our country,” he said.

A management committee was appointed, and has been working on identifying the various categories of competition which will be adjudged by a five-member panel. The competition will be in six areas: painting; ceramics, textile, photography, sculpture and drawing.

Dr Anthony noted that this is the first time that a million dollars in prizes will be offered in each category. The First Prize winner will get $500,000 and a gold medal; the Second Prize winner $300,000 and a silver medal; and the Third Prize winner $200,000 and a bronze medal.
“What is even more interesting,” Dr Anthony said, “is that you can put your piece in the competition, and at the end of the competition, it’s still your piece; we won’t take your piece from you. Because of that, we have received more than 204 entries in the competition.”

The next step in the competition, he said, will be to shortlist the pieces and put up those shortlisted on display at Castellani House, where the judges will come in and do the final judging.

Judges will facilitate a public lecture, and will also conduct master classes with interested persons.

Dr Anthony noted that a ‘Promise Award’ of G$200,000 and a bronze medal will be bestowed upon a young artist (no older than 25) whose work, in the opinion of the judges, displays exceptional promise.

Eligible artists should be Guyanese by birth or naturalization (proof of citizenship will be required) who are aged 16 or older. Eligible works (for the 2012 competition only) are artwork completed within the five years prior to the competition (i.e. between November 2007 and November 2012).
Interested persons can obtain further information by contacting (592) 226-4764 or mashsecretariat@gmail.com or spuguyana@gmail.com.

Dr Anthony said the Culture Ministry was extremely pleased by the response, and he urged the general public to come out and view the exhibition. The winners will be announced at a grand prizewinning exercise on December 14.