It's Women in Art season once again and the 2023 exhibition has brought back long-time curator Gilvano Swasey as well as a plethora of new surprises to delight the Belizean art enthusiast.
I heard more about the upcoming exhibition today from ICA Director Kim Vasquez, and two of the artists that will have pieces featured in the show:
Kim Vasquez, Director, Institute Of Creative Arts
"This year the art exhibit features close to 35 women artists across the country at different areas and different spaces in their careers, some of our emerging artists are very young and some are more established and well known."
One of those young artists, Shahera Young says she only had to look within for the inspiration to create. This 20-year-old who was once told she was too advanced for an art competition, says she found her love for art again through her interaction with art teachers at both Palloti and SJC.
Shahera Young, Artist
"My painting is all about me, it represents me, it's called "Unbosomed", disclosing my thoughts and my secrets. So, it represents all my emotions and my
feelings that I go through, um, as a young entrepreneur as a student who is going to school and balancing my life."
Also featured in tomorrow night's opening is Yao Ling Lee, a Plein air artist, who caught Belize's attention just as the pandemic was winding down. This year she's back with some vibrant surrealist sunsets.
Yao Ling Lee, Painter
"I submitted 5 paintings, behind me there are 5 paintings, the oil on Canvas board. I usually work from life meaning that I go out and those are sunsets so I go out, I sit by the sunset, I sit by the seaside and I wait for the moment and I start to paint and the sunset and I paint how I feel what I see, so those are creations inspired by the sunset by the Seaside in Belize City."
But as well as being featured Yao Ling is one of those tapped tomorrow night as a special speaker. She gave us a preview of her message for her fellow artists.
Yao Ling Lee, Painter
"I will be sharing my experience I think mostly my journey which I stopped painting for more than 10 years because I got married and I had three children and I think it's something I would like to share with women especially."
"It's a matter of choice, what do you want, you know you ask yourself, I asked myself what do I want, what do you want, once we make a decision we just have to go for it, it doesn't matter we just have to go through it, there is good and bad but I think I am so happy you know I have three beautiful kids and now it is my time I have more time now and I am so happy I am able to do what I love to do, and just grateful."
And once we'd spoken to the artist we got to hear from the curator, Gilvano Swasey who couldn't seem to pick a favorite element of the exhibition.
Gilvano Swasey, Exhibit Curator
"I am Very very very pleased with the outcome, you see paintings, you see installation, you see graphic design you see photography, you see design, you see video. All the things that we have talked about even, there are going to be performances that you might not capture but hopefully we get to capture it and share it with you because this whole exhibit is not just a one day thing, it's a three day, it's a four day it's the whole month."
"But I am very very pleased with what I see honestly I think that this will give a lot of hope to a lot of other artists and especially the young artists, things you have not seen before artists you haven't met before and we are hoping to do a little website to add some faces to these painting s too and these creations and poetry, I forget poetry because many times we see the works but we do not connect it and that is crucial, knowing who does these things will let you feel more comfortable and more relaxed and you'll want to support."
But if you can't make tomorrow night's opening there are two more days of vibrant expression surrounding this opening as well as an entire month in will you'll have the chance to experience it first hand.
Kim Vasquez, Director, Institute Of Creative Arts
"Women in art is actually a three-day event this year and so we have the opening of the art exhibit which is the main event for women in art, but we also have activities on Friday, we have another talk by Lucia Ellis on physical and mental wellness for females in the cultural and creative sector. We also have an art therapy class and then on Saturday we close off with a big pop-up event outside here at the Bliss where we have another 30 women entrepreneurs. They will be having boots and all their products on display. We will have a fashion run way by the sea and entertainment from a female DJ-DJ fire Gyal."
Curator Swasey also told us about a second project called "inspire"which saw him coordinate the creation of wooden sculptures inspired by Belizean women. Those sculptures have since been sent to Taiwan for a Women's month celebratory exhibition.
