some graffiti near Jazz Cafe.
Exhibiting at the National Art Gallery of any country is a prestigious affair – it takes talent and years of toil and maybe a bit of luck for an artist to have their work showcased at the NAG.
Not so in the Maldives – our gallery does not discriminate between good and bad art, or even aspiring and mature art. This is clear from the range of exhibitions held at the venue. Over the years it has displayed, deservingly, the talents of artists such as Afzal Shafiu and Aishath Huda. It has also played host to unbecoming exhibitions such as the bewildering Maldives Art Community led ‘Unveiling Visions’ and the juvenile pastiche of ‘Through the Eyes of’ series.
Should the NAG be choosy in a small country like ours? Are the Maldives exempt from the usual ‘rules’ of this practice?
“No,” says an art seller based in a resort. “If you want to be taken seriously by the art appreciating public, you must act a certain way. Look at the quality of exhibitions they’ve (the NAG) had so far. It doesn’t seem like their heart is in it.”
A younger artist observes that there are no support structures around art to force standards on exhibitions. Right now, public discourse is too content with engaging with the art in a superficial, newsroom fashion without delving deeper.
“You need critics and writers for art to maintain a standard. Without these, it’s pointless,” they say.
Others highlight another missing piece in the puzzle of the NAG. “A curator of the National Art Gallery should be a highly qualified and prominent position, commanding a good wage. The NAG here advertised for a curator three or four times, but no one responded. The pay was the same as that of an administrative officer.”
Meanwhile, a person who has worked with the NAG says the gallery offers no support besides providing an exhibition space. “There isn’t even a gallery assistant. The artist has to do everything themselves, right down to social media posts. It’s unheard of.”
They are also critical of the lack of public programmes to supplement exhibitions at the gallery. “There are no artist talks, film screenings, nothing,” they say. “These are essential if you want to foster an artists’ community.”
Also, a look at the NAG’s permanent collection should tell a visitor about the quality of art in the country. Our collection though, is outlandish, not least in terms of presentation. Large portraits of previous presidents seem to starve the place of oxygen. Such works, if they need to be displayed at all, must only exist in a portrait gallery or at the President’s Office. They have no business being in this collection because their very aura ruins the impact of other, vastly better pieces. This is exactly what happens due to the absence of a curator.
As one art enthusiast said, in the end, there’s virtually no difference between the NAG and a space like Dharubaaruge. “They should just call the NAG the Art Hall, and leave it at that,” they say. “That’s more in line with facts.”
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