Spotlight on Taiwan Project
Artistic Renaissance “Rebirth of Humanism, Perspective and Depth in Art”.
- 1. Project Title: Artistic Renaissance “Rebirth of Humanism, Perspective and Depth in Art”.
A project designed to train aspiring and practicing sculptors in the fundamentals of Sculpting through intercultural exchange.
- Organization
Cultural Development Foundation (CDF), Saint Lucia
The Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) was established in April 2002 as the agency primarily responsible to align the aspirations of cultural and creative individuals, groups, communities, policymakers and civil society through the implementation of the National Cultural Policy of Saint Lucia. CDF’s main mission therefore is to nurture and promote cultural identity and to facilitate the development of artistic expression and the creative industry as key drivers of social transformation, nation building and economic growth. CDF exists to champion both the business and the celebration of authentic Saint Lucian culture, to inspire and empower Saint Lucians to become confident and accomplished ambassadors, delivering Saint Lucia’s compelling creative and cultural proposition to the world. In-keeping with Saint Lucia’s National agenda and our commitment to the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development, CDF’s programming has a heavy focus on building awareness of Saint Lucia’s cultural history and traditions as elements of nationalism and identity. Against this backdrop CDF strategically focuses on the development of human resources, on building capacity for sustained growth in the cultural and creative sector and the requisite networking of peoples and cultures that build strong, united and empowered people.
- Project Background and Context
Statues and Public Sculpture around Saint Lucia has become a phenomenon and historic story of our island and innate beauty to behold. Two very prominent Saint Lucian Sculptors namely Ricky George and Jallim Eudovic have designed and erected many of Saint Lucia’s public sculptures and commemorative statues. They both have earned international acclaim for works erected locally, regionally and internationally.
https://islandeffect.com/statues-public-sculpture-around-saint-lucia-a-guide/
There are many artisans in Saint Lucia practicing the art of sculpting one notable Sculptor, Vincent Joseph Eudovic, father of Jallim Eudovic has been carving wood longer than anyone else on the island of Saint Lucia and has established himself as Saint Lucia’s leading sculptor.
Eudovic uses local woods for his abstract carvings, and since no two roots are the same, every single sculpture is unique and different. The main wood he uses is Laurier Canelle, which is now extinct on the island; but he uses the old stumps and uncovered roots which are usually found deep in the forest. Laurier Canelle has a remarkable beauty which one can see after a sculpture has been completed. It is also very durable. Other types of wood used are Mahogany, Teak, Laurier Mabouey and red and white Cedar.
The Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) believes that the art of sculpting must be transferred to GenX. Studies show that sculpting improves not only the students’ art skills but also their performances in non-art areas as well. Involvement in making art help children and teens develop physical, cognitive, and social skills.
Sculpture is a great pretender; a fabrication that points to our need for storytelling and artifice. “We have art so we won’t die of truth”. Sculpture networks ideas, articulates subjectivities and creates communities. Sculpture reflects its place – its society – its time.
Vitality in art lies in the tension of contradictions. The job of an artist is to penetrate oppositions and resolve them harmoniously clearly and soberly. The internationally known sculptor Lee Kuang-yu applies his consummate skill to explore the interplay between solidity and space, creating with fluent confidence.
Lee, born in Kaohsiung, has drawn sustenance from the rich local culture, and brandishes a unique Asian humanism. Using a dynamic artistic vocabulary, he has achieved a Taiwanese style. His solo exhibition “To Have and Have Not” at the 2017 Venice Biennale stunned the international community, showcasing the power of Taiwanese art to the world. https://nspp.mofa.gov.tw/
This collaboration and fusion of intercultural exchange between two friendly nations, Saint Lucia and The Republic of China (Taiwan) will augur well for our countries and cement the bond between us as a people. The sharing of cultures and the impartation of knowledge will assist artisans from Saint Lucia to develop new skills and techniques to feel the emotive power of history while simultaneously bearing witness to the dynamism of reverberating silence brought about by art. This cultural fusion will assist in developing market ready artisans and create employment opportunities and self-reliance.
The work and products emanating from the training, along with the work of the Taiwanese facilitator, will be showcased at an exhibition to be staged right after the training workshop. The Taiwan/Saint Lucia Trade Show 2024 and Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival 2025 “Art and The City” will also serve as exhibition spaces for the continued work of the participants. The Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival is a Music, Arts & Culture Festival which brings together visitors from the US, UK, Asia, Caribbean and many other countries.
- Project Objectives
The Project seek to achieve the following objectives:
- To build capacity by broadening the scope of creative learning experiences, offering hands-on experience in the art of sculpting.
- To offer participants the opportunity to be creative and express themselves in a fun and relaxed environment where all opinions and ideas are encouraged and welcomed.
- To develop new skills and encourage talent by allowing participants to work with new materials, fusing intercultural expressions and exchanges, inspiration strategies, skills and ideas alongside professional Sculptors.
- To inspire participants to become involved in creative pursuits regardless of their previous experience or abilities.
- To interpret themes/ideas in creating and designing artwork.
- To strengthen the use of local clay, wood and other non-traditional materials.
- To foster a creative environment within the community to stimulate sustainable economic opportunities for artisans.
- Project Content
Sculpting (An Overview)
Participants will be assisted in defining and understanding the art of sculpting and the processes involved.
Types of Sculptures
Participants will be sensitized on various types/categories of Sculptures and how to generate ideas using themes, environment, cultural inspiration and experiences of both countries.
Materials used for Sculpting
Traditionally, participants have largely used wood and clay material to construct work.
- Participants will be encouraged and taught how to effectively use non-traditional materials (stone, metal, plastic etc.).
- Facilitator will highlight the various processes involved in creating pieces using a range of materials.
Selecting the theme/concept for design
- Participants will be guided on how to identify and interpret themes for designs.
- Facilitator will assist participants on how to develop and design sculptures from selected themes or ideas.
- Step by step instruction will be provided from concept, design to finished product, utilizing the selected themes.
- Exploring areas that are new to participants, including ideas, modern techniques and processes.
- Working independently and collaborating with others on two-and-three-dimensional pieces on different scales.
Product Preservation
Participants will be taught:
- Identification and use of preservatives.
- Types of Polishes for finished products.
- Application processes for treatment of material.
Scale of the Project and Partners
An exhibition will be staged at the end of the practical training to showcase the work of participants and to also highlight the work of the facilitator. In addition, workshop participants will be offered the opportunity to showcase their work at the following exhibitions and events;
- The Taiwanese Trade Show 2024
- A Taste of Saint Lucia Expo 2024
- Saint Lucia Independence Expo 2025
- Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival 2025 – Art and The City.
Art & The City is the Arts component of the Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival 2025 which will be produced by the Cultural Development Foundation in collaboration with the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority and the Events Company of Saint Lucia, all Statutory bodies of the Government of Saint Lucia.
Project Collaborators
To ensure the success of the project the Cultural Development Foundation will collaborate with the following key partners:
Ministry of Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information
Community Tourism Agency
Ministry of Youth and Sports inclusive of The National Youth Council
Constituency Councils
Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development
Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Enterprise Development and Consumer Affairs
Events Company of Saint Lucia
- Timetable
The training is anticipated to commence in October 2024 for four (4) weeks. The first week will be virtual and three (3) weeks in-person training.
Registration Form for Workshop: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=l9gxpwqOZk6rzT6fgqn 5SuXAJ0GhrR9Mp7AFYZP3xPFUQjBXOTM2SVdHUlpWS1NBMFIzSEJOVzFVUC4u