Jodee Brown
It has been a rough time for artists globally, for visual artists especially around the world.
So says Jamaican media personality turned visual artist, Maia Chung.
In an exclusive interview with 876-411, Chung indicated that when Jamaica locked down in 2020, it affected her mental health.
“It affected me badly. I became depressed. I couldn’t paint,” she said.
According to her, she said she was not even able to tap into the place where, ‘the art comes from.'”
Between 2020 to 2021 stationed in Jamaica as she was due to Covid 19, Chung said all she could manage to do was experiment with her art. She is a self-taught artist.
Her experiments included use of new paint applicators, surfaces and much more.
Chung, who began a successful art career in 2016, has had a great start to her art life.
She has a solo exhibition behind her, has had her work recognised globally as: good, for purchase by collectors and is credible enough to be at a national and global exhibition standard. Her art has been exhibited in countries such as Italy, Japan, South America and the United States of America.
This week, the Government of Jamaica, through its cultural arm, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), awarded Ms. Chung with a bronze medal for painting. The medal awards, given out in all areas within the JCDC’s cultural competitions, are the highest form of honour and recognition.
A gold, silver and bronze award can mean significant pluses, especially for the Jamaican visual artist. The honours lend both provenance and brand-building to visual artists at the national level.
Chung’s work was recognised by the Commission for art excellence in various mediums on July 21, 2022.
“This is a big deal for me as an artist,” Chung said. “Outside of it putting us in pantheon of the nation’s best…it is inspiring me to push my work, which I have not been doing.”
The works are judged by Jamaica’s Master Artists in various mediums.
This year, the world renowned Chief Judge was photographic artist Donnette Zacca.
She indicated that of the over six hundred works reviewed, the judging panel noted, the quality of works received for 2022 was excellent.
The ceremony, was the soft launch of the exhibition of the awarded works.
The exhibition is slated to run until December 2022.
Alando Terrelonge, Member of Parliament and State Minister in the Minister of Culture, indicated at the launch that he felt COVID-19, helped Jamaican artists bring out their capabilities.
Minister Terrelonge officially declared the exhibition open on July 21.
“They, the Jamaican artists, used what was happening, meaning the fallout from Covid 19, and they immersed themselves in their work,” Terrelonge said.
Terrelonge added that the creative sector is a multi-trillion dollaŕ business globally, which the nation’s artists have to move towards, to help their careers and the GDP of Jamaica.
He indicated that, via his ministry, visual artists would not fall by the wayside as the Culture Ministry has no intention of letting Jamaican culture fade.
Chung has confirmed she will be staging her second solo exhibition this year in December 2022.
The JCDC can be called at 876-925-5726-8 for details.
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