No free design: #ArtistLivesMatter

When we think of art, the names Pollock, Rembrandt and Picasso easily come to mind. But what of some of our local masters? Names like Kapo and Gene Pearson command great attention while, for example, artists like Patasha, Taj Levy and Paige Taylor fly relatively under the radar, yet the murals they have worked on inspire peace and positivity. These artists are making big waves on the local art scene and are bringing street art back to the fore in a big way. The local creative community believes that the murals at Fleet Street in downtown Kingston have been massively influential in the way that Jamaicans view not just street art, but art on the whole in this age.

Arguably paralleled by the popularity of Fleet Street, the city’s latest mural, commissioned by the iconic beverage brand Pepsi, has captured the collective imagination of onlookers. Under the supervision of renowned artist and lecturer at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EDNA) Stanford Watson, a cohort of 13 students ably executed the eight-foot mural. The whole process has reinforced the importance of young creatives and their need to navigate commercial success.

Inspired by people

Pamella Chang , who was the student leader on the project, has been passionate about the arts from a young age, and shared her hope for more Jamaican youth to not only be inspired but to hold fast to their passions.

“Ever since I could hold a pencil, I have found myself loving art, being inspired by art. I mainly produce paintings. Paintings have become something where I express myself in another way. In painting, I experience the freedom in doing whatever I think necessary to creating my art,” she said.

Chang spoke of how this passion informs her art. “I am inspired by people, by love, by joy, by laughter. I enjoy observing people’s initial reaction to my work. I hope to motivate or inspire other people with my artwork to believe in themselves and to believe that they are also unstoppable and limitless. My professional aim right now is to be known across the region and ultimately the world, but first, graduating Edna Manley,” she said.

Like many of her peers, Chang will face a dilemma once she has graduated – passion or profitability. Currently, she believes that young artists should be comfortable with being paid minimally or not being paid. She asserts exposure rather than compensation is key.

“I think that you should first start out with doing free work. I know that people run away from free work, but it’s really good because to me, it helps to bring merit. Over time, people begin to see your work so they begin to see your name,” she said.

Exposure is never enough

The notion that young creatives should work for free is not new and some creatives like EDNA alum Jerome Marshall believe that exposure is never enough to build and sustain a career. Marshall, a graphic artist and photographer, started doing freelance graphics while in college, admittedly to improve his craft.

After graduating, he accepted a job as a teacher since his creative outlets were not able to sustain him. Ironically, his stint in education was short-lived as he soon returned to doing what he loves, graphic design.

Marshall’s view on the notion of ‘free labour’ for exposure differs from Chang’s significantly. “From high school, I enjoyed the creative process of creating original ideas. I was encouraged to explore this as it was a good outlet for me to express myself. I create digital media and that means that being paid for my service is key to me being able to create,” he said.

He also points out the ‘hypocrisy’ of encouraging young creatives to do pro bono work. “One of the major problems that we as artists face is the lack of studio space and access to resources. It is unfair that there are people, especially companies, that do not want to pay for artwork yet they request it daily. They clearly know nothing of what it takes, the painstaking creative process,” Marshall said.

For a young artist, particularly one pursuing higher education, the need for compensation is vital as young creatives are being exploited yet they are expected to produce works in a timely manner, a struggle that student artist Tajae Pringle can identify with.

Pringle, a student at EDNA and budding commercial artist, aspires to have his works shown in the major galleries of Jamaica and the Caribbean. He, like Chang, hopes to change the perception of Jamaicans, and saw the project as the ideal way to do just that.

“The mural represents the strong truth that being a Jamaican means that we do what is needed to make Jamaica a better place by following our dreams. I hope it gives people a sense of hope. It is a reminder that whatever they choose to become and achieve in life, they can do so,” Pringle said.

While optimistic about the impact of the mural, he bemoaned the treatment of young artists like himself. Pringle joined Marshall in the call for better treatment of young artists, not in the way of compensation but rather via the way of encouragement.