Art in Industry

The conductor in the minibus showed me the signal for the line top and I asked clearly with the music in the background if the bus will go past Industry on the Line top and he said yes.

I am sitting in the bus and the bus going straight up the seawall and I realise we not going anywhere near the line top.  I had gotten directions to the Oxygen Arts gallery from the railway embankment.

'Is nah Airstrip road yuh seh'..    and I was about to cuss and so on but the breeze is nice and is a quiet Saturday afternoon. I thought the walk and so would not be bad and I had instructions to call if I get lost.

Karen Budhram and Michael Griffith have converted part of their home in Industry, East Coast Demerara , into a studio and gallery. They opened the gallery with an exhibition which includes works by Michael, Karen and other artists.

I remember in high school visiting Philip Moore's Georgetown space where he had his studio and some pieces on display.  This is the first time since then I am visiting the home of an artist.

 There are not too many galleries and exhibitions spaces outside of central Georgetown and there seems to be no urgency to create any of these spaces in the towns and villages.  Book stalls, libraries, cultural spaces.. outside of Georgetown. Maybe oil would bring them, or maybe not.

The space is light and airy. The hanging mechanism is almost invisible.  One display board can be moved. Michael Griffith has lessons to share in how to design galleries in small spaces. I have seen some of the work in other places like the Umana Yana.. but here it is different looking at them - maybe the light, maybe the closeness to the work.

There might have been crafts persons and artisan workshops on these former sugar cane lands.  Things probably changed.  There is one mall and another one soon to be open down the road, with mostly imported creations.

There are plans to use the space of Oxygen Arts, not only for work, but also for exhibitions , classes and related activities.

Hopefully, this important venture of the art gallery in Industry will get support from the community. And that there is encouragement for other small galleries around the country.
 

The exhibition continues until 15 September, 2018.