News Room Global Curatorial Project
by Jiivanii RedMarks

Project Detail and Concept

Description: News Room is a Site Specific Permanent, but Revolving, Global Exhibition, which Document Creators’ Processes using video. For 24 hours invited Artists turn the Camera on themselves, filming a documentary of their Process’. The footage of the filming is delivered to the Curator, becoming a part of a video installation titled “News Room.”

The Concept: The genesis of “News Room” evolved out of what I saw as, an urgent need for space to accommodate the history of cultural contributors of the world, but; not just any space, the need is for a Recognised, Prominent, and Celebrated Spaces.
It was not until after the death of our beloved Jamaican Poet Laureate, “Miss Lou” (The Honorable Louise Bennett Coverley), that I realised how little regard is given to persons of Arts and Culture. Miss Lou had a television show called “Ring Ding” that all the children of my era gathered around the television to watch on Saturday mornings. She was like a Mother to us. She used the Jamaican Patois in such a beautiful way; in her poetry and general usage on the program, to make us proud of our linguistic heritage. As a grown woman, I went to see her final public celebration, and reminded her of having chauffeur driven me to school as a child. After her passing; there was NOTHING left of her television programs. As I had understood it; all her works on tape/film were scrubbed by the Director of Creative Production and Training Center, CPTC, Kingston Jamaica. That experience rocked me off the sole of my feet and landed me on my head. I could not understand why, such a thing was done, or not done, to protect our cultural heritage. For if we have no past, no road-rack of our evolution as a society, we are left with blank spaces open to be filled by the Spirits of Deception.
And; from that, and this, and there is more, but; prudence says, let it be, Jiivanii, it is now up to you, to do better than those before you. My esteemed jury of the cause, I have shown to you, the emotional Genesis of the tracks of my life, to service woman to The Library and Canon of our artists, and cultural embossers.

Project’s Relevance: My genesis is personal, but; I will hang onto a long thin branch to say; Though my experience is touching and personal, it is by not means, culture specific. If we look at one of the most Prominent of Cultural Embarrassments, we see Van Gogh. Though Gogh show up in posterity with a vengeance. But; women Artists of his era, are still lying dead in coffins, never to be reopened for the legacy of renown. To correct that; Governance of the Netherlands has made it a priority, that artists will no suffer the indignity of starvation, and should be applauded. That said; it is not just relevant to me as a woman, it’s relevant to, self taught artists, have also been left out; though they define cultural tourism for their homeland, in a way that Politicians, could never do, yet; there is no room in the house for them. That’s just not right.
The “News Room” is a Cannon that ushers in the Canon. It serves to heighten, elucidate, and seal in memory the images of who we were, are, what we did, and how we did it. News Room is a vault of information for all to see, study and learn, from our past, that the future is not on constant repeat.

Curatorial Approach: I would love to say; “head on, and done!” But; it is not that easy. For this project to make claims of “Easy,” would warrant the total and complete corporation of, all the technical people involved, the artists agreeing and submitting, and Donors becoming me, us, as creators; shed tears, wipe faces, take a deep breath, and say; “YES! WE WILL INSTALL A ‘NEWS ROOM’ IN EVERY CITY OF THE WORLD.”
The above, being an excerpt from a dream. Therefore; the approach to this project is methodical. I have designed a Sculptural Space in 3D, which is the signature Structure of the “News Room” at all locations over the world. It sets the Brand for itself, by use of form. The form is housed in Public Spaces with an established human flow. Such as; gardens, parks, public buildings with lawns, inside larger structures, such as museums; temples, synagogues, mosques and church compounds, as a space within a space.
Self Sufficiency: “News Room” supports itself and staffs through, memberships, donations, gate tickets, and selling of brand merchandise on sight and on the web. It is allowed to evolve based on patronage, ideas, and needs.
Artist Selected: “News Room” is Mandate specific, but not Artist, or Medium exclusive. Therefore; all practicing Artists are included, from every corner of the Earth. Artists are scouted through recommendations and research using social and digital mediums.
Artist Directives: Contributing Artists are given simple instructions as to what to include when taping themselves. Such as; how to; what to include; break points; when to speak about inspirations; editing apps and output formats; technical preparations for audio, and upload and delivery platforms.
Architectural Project Partner: I have my eyes on the perfect partner for “News Room.” She is a fine artist, an intellectual, and an Architect. The lady juxtaposes imagery, the body, and architecture as a philosophical construct, with each informing and strengthening the other. “News Room,” is about architectural spaces, preservation spaces, human spaces, the human body, and human actions within space. Agneta Kickan Eriksson Hilden of Sweden, is the person I think best suited to manage the construction of “News Room.”
Curators: “News Room” has a City, or Nation specific Curator who overseas and manages the blueprint of “News Room,” so that the chief curator doesn’t have to be present.

Donor Support: Funding for the Construction of “News Room” is a matter of strategic financial planning. That strategy includes, gratitude panels, and inclusion in promotions. But; that’s the usual. What I would like to do is to have a donor who makes each “News Room” Location, their lifelong custody, meaning. They support all the financial requirements of the project for life, or, they have the option of selling their custody to another entity, with the profits from the purchase going back into “News Room.” Additionally, a system of chain custodians, where custodians have a limited time of one year, to work with the project. That makes for financial safety nets, from a three point perspective.

“News Room” (Keyholes Into The Creator’s Mind)

An Exhibition of invited Artists’ journalistic Self-Coverage of, twenty-four hours in their lives as Creators.

A group of forty-eight emerging, and obscure Artists working in any media, including architecture, poetry, and fashion, are invited to take part in an international video-art exhibition.
A flight of steps inside the Museum, takes visitors into the customised circular mezzanine, where they view in rotation, the forty-eight videos simultaneously. The colosseum-like space heightens viewers experience, as a cacophony of sounds, and videos assault their ears, and eyes.
The main intent of the exhibition, is to demystify art by allowing a glimpse into the Artist’s process. Also; the unfiltered rules required, in the filming of the Artists’ process, by the Artist, produces enough material, that can be used for scholarly examination, of the complexities of creating art.