A storm in a teacup

Oct 08, 2024 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Peeping Tom…

Kaieteur News – The recent controversy swirling around the access to the National Gallery at Castellini House has given rise to a fervor that feels disproportionate to its cause—a veritable tempest in a teapot, if you will.

And yet, beyond the accusations, the petitions, and the impassioned op-eds, lies a question that has yet to be adequately addressed: What is truly at stake for the future of the visual arts in Guyana?

The immediate squabble centers on the role of political officials in the administrative affairs of the gallery. Critics have rightly pointed out that Ministers of government should not be meddling in the mundane duties of an institution like the National Gallery. Governance, they argue, ought to be preoccupied with policy, not the quotidian concerns of scheduling exhibitions. Indeed, in an ideal world, one could leave these matters to a dedicated management committee, independent of political influence, ensuring that Castellini House remains an apolitical refuge for artists and their patrons.

Yet, there is a counterpoint to be made. Why erect such a committee when the state already boasts a fully-staffed Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport? Is it not the purview of such a Ministry to oversee cultural institutions like the National Gallery? And, crucially, is the establishment of a management committee merely a duplication of bureaucratic effort?

This is not to say that the oversight of a gallery should be a political endeavor. Far from it. But it seems curious that the very existence of a management committee has become a matter of principle, rather than a practical question of who is best equipped to manage the institution. One might ask whether we are squabbling over a question of administrative tidiness, while failing to address the broader and far more important issue: the future of the visual arts in Guyana.

The true canvas of concern, if one is willing to look past the sensationalism, is the fate of the visual arts in a nation struggling to define its cultural identity in the 21st century. Castellini House, as the custodian of the National Gallery, is but one brushstroke in the broader tableau. The focus should not be merely on who manages its operations, but on the type of institution it ought to be, and how it can serve the visual arts across the country.

Let us not forget what is encompassed by the term “visual arts.” At its heart lies the Fine Arts—those classical disciplines that have shaped our understanding of aesthetic excellence for centuries. Painting, drawing, sculpture, and printmaking form the bedrock of any serious artistic tradition, drawing the gaze of the beholder into a world where form, color, and composition become vehicles for emotional and intellectual exploration. These are not the products of quick consumption but works that demand time, contemplation, and an appreciation for craftsmanship. The Fine Arts occupy a venerable place in the hierarchy of human expression, but they require nurturing—through education, exhibitions, and public support—to sustain their relevance in a society increasingly driven by the pace of the digital age.

Yet, alongside the classical, there is the realm of the Applied Arts, which marry function with aesthetic innovation. Ceramics, furniture design, jewelry making, and textiles are no less deserving of a place in our cultural pantheon simply because they carry with them a utilitarian purpose. It is through the applied arts that creativity finds its way into our daily lives, shaping our environments and, in doing so, shaping us. It is through a beautiful vase, a well-crafted chair, or a piece of jewelry that art extends its reach beyond the walls of a gallery and into the homes and hands of the people. The visual arts cannot be confined to the high-minded galleries and salons; they are equally at home in the marketplaces and homes of ordinary Guyanese.

Nor can we neglect the Contemporary Arts, those vanguard forms that seek to push the boundaries of how art is perceived and experienced. Video art, installation art, and digital or multimedia works have opened up new possibilities for artistic expression, demanding that we expand our definitions and our expectations of what art can be. It is here, perhaps more than anywhere else, that the future of art lies, as artists use technology not just as a tool, but as a language through which to communicate ideas that are both timeless and cutting-edge. These art forms invite viewers into immersive environments where they can engage with ideas in ways that a painting or sculpture cannot achieve alone. The gallery of tomorrow must be as open to the possibilities of virtual reality as it is to the venerable tradition of oil on canvas.

And then, there is Photography and Film, that unique intersection where documentation meets artistic vision. These mediums have a special role to play in a country like Guyana, whose landscapes and stories are as rich as they are varied. Through the lens of a camera or the frame of a film, the beauty, struggle, and complexity of Guyanese life can be captured and shared, not just within our borders but with the world. These visual forms, though often taken for granted in the era of the smartphone, remain crucial to preserving the narrative of a nation. A gallery that seeks to embody the spirit of Guyanese art cannot ignore the potential of these mediums to tell our stories with clarity and power.

So, as the public debates who should have the keys to Castellini House, we might do well to remember that it is the fate of these varied forms of visual expression that matters most. The administrative wrangling is but a side note to the symphony; the true challenge lies in envisioning a future where all these forms of art—fine, applied, contemporary, photographic—are given the space and support they need to flourish. A gallery is not just a building, nor is it merely the sum of its exhibitions; it is a place where the spirit of a culture is curated, where ideas take shape, and where the past meets the present to inspire the future.

The Castellini House controversy, then, is a distraction from the real work that lies ahead. What matters is not which bureaucrat or politicain holds sway, but whether the institution can serve as a platform for artists of every stripe to display their talents and engage with their audiences. What matters is whether we can create an environment in which the visual arts are seen not as a luxury but as a vital part of our national life. This is the conversation we should be having, rather than spilling ink over who has access to what door.

If there is any hope for the future of the visual arts in Guyana, it lies in moving beyond these petty disputes. Let us instead focus on building a cultural infrastructure that recognizes the value of the visual arts in all their forms, and let Castellini House become the home of that commitment rather than a battlefield for competing interests. For in the end, it is not the committee meetings that will shape our artistic legacy, but the works that hang on the walls, and the ideas that inspire those who come to see them.

(A storm in a teacup)

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

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• Castellini House, National Gallery, Peeping Tom, teacup

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