YEARS WITHOUT FEAR: Art legend Petrona Morrison talks retirement plans and nurturing Jamaica's emerging talents

FINE COMPANY: Morrison (right), with fellow artists Rosie Gordon-Wallace and Nicole Winter on campus in 2009.

Spending more than a quarter-of-a-century in the same place of work is enough to make anyone feel jaded. So although she'll miss her home away from home, Petrona Morrison, a legend of the art world who's been on staff at the Edna Manley College since 1988, is more than ready to take that inevitable next step: retirement.

"I'm looking forward to it as a new part of my life, when I can read all day. I can work all day," offers Morrison, who is turning 60 in August, at which time she'll quietly make her exit from the institution and head into her next chapter, which, by her own admission, will include work and more work. "I have a lot of ideas [in my head] that I want to try and get done, especially in installation," she says. "I don't want to wait another ten years to act on these ideas because physically I might not be able to be doing all of that."

If there's one thing of which she's certain it's that the break from the classroom and the office will spark within her a wave of unprecedented creativity. "If you're an artist you're always doing work, making work, even if you're not physically doing it," Morrison explains. "So my juggling of the administrative things at Edna Manley doesn't give me much time as prior to when I was in this position. But I'm always making work. I want to work more."

Serving as Director of the School of Visual Art has brought Morrison more than her share of eye-opening experiences, none more compelling than bearing witness to the radical shifts in local art trends, even among undergraduates. "The students, in many ways, are leading us, which is good. There are a lot of changes taking place: artists working collaboratively, artists doing work in the communities," she says, citing Matthew McCarthy as a fine example.

"I think our responsibility is to be responsive to these changes because art is dynamic and it is constantly evolving with new ideas," she continues. "And I think our role as educators is to facilitate not to dictate, and that is how I've always interacted with the students because it has to be about their vision and ideas and how those fit into these current times."

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WAYS OF SEEING: Striking new works, stunning visuals aplenty at the 2014 SVA Faculty Show

 

HER OWN CREATION: Harrack, among 11 faculty members showing new works in the 2014 exhibit.

The educators employed to the Edna Manley College's visual art school don't go in for vanity projects, so their group exhibition, which just kicked off the institution's Founders' Week festivities, is best regarded as an avant-garde showcase aimed at provoking discourse, opening eyes and providing fresh inspiration for students and the general public alike, while enlightening everyone about their own work as practising artists.

"It is important for not just the students but for the public to see what we do here at Edna Manley as teachers. And we were practising artists before we became teachers. And if you are practising, you are better able to inform your students of the current trends. And when you do, it makes a world of difference to them," explains Paula Daley, Head of the Department for Sculpture and lecturer in Foundation. "And this is one of the things we really try to push so that there is a balance. Students are able to come in an critique us as we critique them, which enriches the whole teaching and learning experience."

The 2014 SVA Faculty Show has assembled an eclectic and wildly imaginative 16-piece collection exploring a wide range of motifs, styles, media and universal themes by 11 lecturers. There's a bit of earthenware, thanks to Michael Layne's "Untitled Slab Vase" and G. Lutalo Makonzi's "Transformation" (2014); stoneware (Norma Harrack's debut of "Excavated Vessel"); textile mixed media contributions from Miriam Hinds and Margaret Stanley; mini video installations from Oneika Russell and Katrina Coombs, and an arresting four-piece acrylic-on-plastic set by Camille Chedda, the youngest of the cast.

Daley, meantime, chose to step way outside the box with a microscope-enhanced collage steeped in commentary on the socio-economic status quo here in Jamaica. "It's just another way of expressing thoughts and ideas," she says of her radical approach. "Using things that actually exist for certain uses and taking them a step beyond their regular purpose."

Director of the School of Visual Art, Petrona Morrison, notes that the annual faculty show is a yardstick of sorts for everyone involved. "We use it as an opportunity to assess where we are as artists, not just as educators," she tells TALLAWAH. "So we are expecting the faculty to really bring their best new work, or what they are working on now, to the show. We have, for example, Mr. Makonzi presenting work that is different from anything he's ever done before. So it allows for those kinds of explorations."

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ALBUM OF THE WEEK: Samuele Vivian scores a sophomore triumph with sparkling Dubwise

STRUMMIN': The ace musician dazzles on his stellar new album.

Samuele Vivian has all the requisite talking points to promote his sophomore album, Dubwise, an ethereal mix of Mediterranean-style guitar and instrumental reggae distilled to a pure essence and served as easy listening ideal for Sunday morning meditation or, better yet, an afternoon road trip to the countryside.

Even before you press play on this transporting record, you can't help but take note of such evocative song titles as "Midsummer Waltz," "Aurora," "La Canzone di Marinella" and "Almeno Tu Nell'Universo." And that's only from the CD's first half; the second portion features cuts from Vivian's Venice Acoustic Sessions. There are twelve tracks in total.

An artist who has performed for audiences in some of the most far-flung locales on the planet, the Italian-Jamaican guitarist paints his music with colours taken from all over, and incorporating these disparate elements into a rhythmic tapestry, equal parts reflective and peaceful, he produces sounds that both soothe and seduce.

Listeners are bound to repeat his version of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song", and cuts like the sublime "Crossroads" are best enjoyed with the eyes closed. The leading man's impressive guitar work and original score (he composed all the tracks save for one) aside, some of the credit for the album's success must also go to a top-notch supporting cast made up of collaborators Antonio Sanchez on drums, Federico de Vittor (piano), Steve Wood (double bass), Alvis Reid (electric guitar) and percussionist Robert Malcolm.

The Jamaican entertainment scene du jour doesn't lack for tour-de-force instrumentalists who consistently pack a punch with their creative output, if only they had the resources to release records with greater regularity and of a quality akin to Vivian's Dubwise, a classy project that wins you over with its simplistically gorgeous melodies and sparkling grooves. Tyrone's Verdict: B+ 

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THE BUZZ REPORT: What's new and what's next in local and regional culture

LITERARY GOLD: An estimable batch of 10 Caribbean authors, including a handful of Jamaicans, have earned longlist nominations for the 2014 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, an award that continues to grow in popularity. Among the contenders are such notable names as poets Edward Baugh (Black Sand: New and Selected Poems) and Lorna Goodison (Oracabessa), and Kei Miller whose Writing Down The Vision is up for the non-fiction award. Edwidge Danticat, the Haitian-American novelist, whose latest work Claire of the Sea of Light (Alfred Knopf) is a hit with critics and fans alike, and Trinidad's Robert Antoni, recently in Jamaica to launch and promote his most recent effort, As Whatless Flies to Boys (Akashic Books), were both cited for fiction. The overall winner of the US$10,000 prize will be announced during the Bocas Literary Festival in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad on April 26.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD: The tireless efforts of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) in promoting Brand Jamaica to the world continue to reap dividends. Last month, the government agency was recognized with the Gold Adrian Award for excellence in public relations by Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). The JTB was acknowledged for its special television feature "Revisiting Our Roots," for which they'd collaborated with co-anchors of The Today Show, Jenna Wolfe and Lester Holt, who travelled to the island for the filming. Sandra Scott, Deputy Director of Tourism, was on hand to collect the award.

POWER PLAYERS: The 2014 Thespian Spirit Awards (the Thespies), recognizing the best and brightest in Jamaican theatre, have come and gone, so the attention now turns to the Actor Boy Awards, traditionally held each March in Kingston. There is no shortage of strong potential candidates to cop nominations, due out any day now. Still, any list of the best bets must include such crowd-pleasers as Jamaica Sweet, Thicker Than Water, My God Don't Wear Pajamas, Ladies of the Night, and the pitch-perfect two-hander Toy Boy.

CELEBRATING HISTORY: Founders' Week is traditionally one of the busiest periods for the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, when faculty and student body pause to pay homage to the institution's pioneers. This year's celebration (March 4-9) brings a dizzying series of activities, involving everything from exhibitions to guest lectures. A new faculty exhibit opens on Tuesday, March 4; Dr. Glenda Simms (above) will discuss all things feminism when she presents the Women's Day Lecture (March 6); Dr. Kenneth Hall will deliver the keynote address at a March 7 session titled "Celebrating Research in the Arts" and the week will culminate with a faculty recital on Sunday inside the Vera Moodie Concert Hall. 

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STRING THEORY: Waters of March yields a dazzling, diverse showcase of electric talent

CLASS ACT: Ashbourne, the musical mastermind behind the newly minted UWI mini orchestra.

This is how balmy Sunday evenings were meant to be spent. The soothingly ethereal strains of the UWI Classical and Jazz Ensemble filled the Philip Sherlock Centre on the weekend, giving flight to a seductive potpourri of chamber music, Caribbean folk gems, Spanish themes and light, airy pop under the banner headline "Waters of March." Maestro Peter Ashbourne is the driving force behind this superb mini orchestra, the newest addition to the Centre's ever-expanding army of exuberantly talented performing arts outfits, and he wasted very little time in showing us just what they're about. 

With electric wizardry, a little rock n' roll and just the right touch of spunk, the young musicians made delightful work of Handel's "Water Music" minuet and Mozart's "Piano Trio in D Flat" before whipping up a memorable take on Peter Warlock's "Capriel Suite," an excellent showcase for cello, piano, violin and other strings in dazzling unison. 

The night's accolade for Most Enthralling Solo must go to virtuosic pianist Ming Cho, a South Korean prodigy whose magical finger work on Frederic Chopin's "Fantasy Impropmptu" belied her tender teenage years. For me, she's the kind of extraordinary kid who could draw packed houses to her solo recitals. 

The wow factor was only heightened when Maria-Jose Parker, a product of Spanish and Moroccan heritage, took to the keys (alongside Ashbourne on violin and Scotsman Alistaire Petrie on cello) to breathe life into a couple of Pietsola's Argentinian tango compositions delivered with a warm classical touch that left a swooning residue. Once could expect nothing less from a megawatt combination of the ilk of Ashbourne, Petrie and Parker, who for all their individual brilliance blend almost seamlessly as a trio. 

A change of pace and mood brought a spirited medley of traditional Bajan songs, scored by Ashbourne for the classical ensemble. (Among the lot, a fresh treatment of Harry Belafonte's "Day O" stood out.) Another highlight: the premiere of a laudable new Ashbourne composition, The Lignum Vitae Lilt (featurning Parker alongside cellist Joel Wright), which riffs on the Jamaican folk song "Lignum Vitae" and, more or less, captured the overwhelming motif of the evening: classical gems combined with a nod to the expansive range of Caribbean sounds.

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GOLDEN HOUR: 12 Years A Slave, Gravity among big winners at 86th Annual Academy Awards

HAVING HER MOMENT: Blanchett celebrating her win with Sony Pictures' Michael Barker and Tom Bernard at the Governor's Ball at the Hollywood & Highland Centre.

The outer-space spectacle Gravity may have snagged the lion's share of trophies (a total of seven out of 10 nominations) at Sunday's 86th Academy Awards, but in the end the night belonged to the darling of the season, Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave, which added to its impressive stash the grand prix of Best Picture of the Year (presented by Will Smith) to bring the curtains down on another thrilling year in cinema.

But in addition to Best Picture, Slave also secured Best Adapted Screenplay (for writer John Ridley) and, unsurprisingly, supporting-actress honours for Lupita Nyong'o, who joins that rarefied pantheon of actors winning an Oscar for their debut film performance. Resplendent in an aquamarine gown, Nyong'o (a 29-year-old Yale School of Drama graduate who is of Kenyan and Mexican descent) deservedly drew a standing ovation as she made her way to the stage.

Gravity's prize haul, meanwhile, included wins for director Alfonso Cuaron, film editing, sound editing, sound mixing, visual effects, cinematography and original score. And as far as the other acting categories are concerned, all the favourites obliged, as Blue Jasmine's Cate Blanchett (lead actress), Matthew McConaughey (lead actor) and his Dallas Buyers Club costar Jared Leto (supporting actor) all took home little gold men and gave truly heartfelt acceptance speeches.

I was also particularly delighted by the choice of awardees in several auxiliary categories, namely Catherine Martin's win for costume design (The Great Gatsby), Frozen for animated feature and original song ("Let It Go") and the much-buzzed-about behind-the-scenes film 20 Feet From Stardom (about the real unsung heroes of the music industry: background singers) picking up the award for documentary feature.

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VERSE AND VERVE: Powerful poetry, delightful prose highlight 2014's Love Affair with Literature

WOMAN OF HER WORD: Brodber was among the five-member cast of this year's staging.

"It's been a lifelong ambition of mine to write a Mervyn Morris-style poem. I haven't achieved that yet, but this is the closest I've come," confessed Kendel Hippolyte ahead of reciting "Path," a succint gem from his wide-ranging oeuvre that is dedicated to Morris and leaps to life with rhythmic cadences that sing of the writer's deep island roots. 

On the occasion of this year's instalment of Love Affair with Literature (a UWI Mona/Kingston Book Festival endeavour), Hippolyte (who is in fact St. Lucian), a towering white-clad figure with whitish-grey locks, co-headlined a stellar cast of Caribbean voices (with Dr. Erna Brodber, Monica Minott, Richard 'Dingo' Dingwall, and Trinidad's Robert Antoni) in bringing a satisfying Sunday-morning feast of the written-spoken word to the Neville Hall Lecture Theatre, rendering works (poetry and prose) full of hyper-vivid imagery, uniquely Caribbean stories with universal resonance, and biting, entertaining humour. 

Antoni, for whom humour is admittedly the lifeblood of any great piece of fiction, delivered a hugely enjoyable passage from his award-winning debut Divina Trace, chronicling a perversely funny encounter between the book's clear-eyed narrator, a middle-aged doctor named Domingo and a male patient of his who's been lately having difficulty with hos bowel movement. (The idea of "thumbtacks" warranted a mention.) The piece elicited regular peals of laughter from those in the audience who could appreciate Antoni's sly, tongue-in-cheek style of narrative that boldly navigates that line betwixt the subversive and the sacred. 

Dingo, who interestingly describes poetry as his "salvation," also earned kudos through humour and clever wordplay, a signature mix that has long secured him a sizeable following within and around the Poetry Society of Jamaica. Putting his bass-heavy voice to proper use, he offered his take on Obama's election-night triumph before briefly exploring the fantasies and failings often attendant to being in a committed relationship. 

The ladies on the bill (the venerable Brodber, vivacious Minott) were content to keep it simple, lyrically paying tribute (in the case of Minott) to Shabba Ranks, family and the tireless fisherman, and (in the case of Brodber) eloquently spinning a folkloric fantasy epic that recalls Sleeping Beauty ("a black Ophelia sleeping for seven years") and her speedy Prince Charming. 

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ON THE HORIZON: Four coming attractions we're buzzing about right now

THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE: Whether appearing on Saturday Night Live or filming television ad spots for Virgin Atlantic, the World's Fastest Man remains a constant fixture on-screen. Along with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, another face the camera loves, the athletic powerhouse is set to co-star in the upcoming visual for Jimmy Cliff's newest single, "Won More," scenes for which were recently filmed in Kingston by a visiting British crew. "Won More," poised for worldwide release this month, was co-produced by Cliff, who bagged this year's Grammy for Best Reggae Album (Rebirth), and veteran producer Ansel Collins.

BOOK SMART: "We are extending the usual series of activities that we do," reveals Kellie Magnus, Chair of the Kingston Book Festival and Publishing Director of the Book Industry Association of Jamaica (BIAJ), now in its 25th year. As one of the ways to mark the milestone, Magnus says the KBF and the BIAJ are partnering with Carib Lit to conduct a Caribbean Readers Survey in Kingston this week. "It's important for readers to partner with the publishing and book-selling communities. It's critical for us to know what the preferences are," she says. The results of the survey will be posted online at cariblit.org. To learn more visit facebook.com/kingstonbookfestival.

IN MOTION: By far one of the most keenly anticipated items on the annual Philip Sherlock Centre International Arts Festival roster, the Jamaica Dance Umbrella extravaganza assembles the most outstanding companies in local dance theatre for a weekend of enthralling presentations. But this year's instalment (March 7-9) will get a healthy serving of international flavour thanks to the promised appearances by dance ensembles from Guadeloupe, Seattle, Canada and the United Kingdom.

CLARITY & FOCUS: A follow-up to his New York Times bestseller Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All, Def Jam and Baby Phat mogul Russell Simmons is returning to bookshelves this month with Success Through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple (Gotham Books), in which the living legend illustrates how to use stillness and meditation as powerful tools for harnessing one's full potential, even as he demonstrates the connection between inner peace and outward success through interviews with successful leaders, movers and shakers in various industries. 

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