By Neo Malesa
I managed to brave the Moresby sun for 2 hours today watching Jeff and the other artists in action at downtown and I write this on behalf of some the common citizens and the grassroots who witnessed the live exhibition.
For me, it was a very powerful experience. I saw the power of art and expression like never before in my life. It was the first time for me to see a live exhibition and from that two hours alone, I learned and captured more of the energy and spirit of the artist than in all my twenty four years of life. And I’m sure most who were there feel that way too. I realised that it’s not just the finished painting that speaks, it’s also the act, the work in progress, the energy of the painting artist that is infused onto the canvas that speaks much more. Those who view the finished work will not really feel the energy and emotion of that painting. I am so privileged to be part of that work of art, I watched the entire work as it started and I feel like my soul is in that, I feel it is part of me and I am a part of it. I can still feel the energy of it in me as I write this – every stroke, the dabs, the etching, the splatters, the scratches and even the final violent cuts and slashes and the anger that broke that final canvas off.
This has truly impacted me forever.
We need artists who really speak to the soul of the nation. Artists whose art is not just aesthetically acceptable by Western standards, but is emotionally impacting and life-changing – art that can really affect a person’s life and speak directly to his/her soul.
I believe artists must have a higher purpose. Not just for you to be famous, recognized and ego-inflated, but for you to really use your art to impact our people, to affect the mentalities of our grassroots. Politicians can only make policies. Whether they are done or not is anyone’s choice. Change will not come from up-down. Politicians, expatriates or men in high places have no power to change our land because the power is in our hands, the sons of this land. Revolution always starts from down-up. We are the people of this land and we must take back the power from the hands of politicians and corrupt people in high places.
You don’t know how much influence and impact your art can have because you haven’t really gone to the grassroots. That’s where the revolution will start. I really want to thank Jeff for bringing his art out to the streets, to the grassroots and the public – right in the streets of POM City.
I have so much to say but I think the bottom line for us artists in PNG is: There is a power in art yet to be discovered!
Oh Arise, all ye sons [and daughters] of this land… Let the Artists of this land come forth!
Masalai blog 
Thank you Neo for your wonderful description of the event and how it touched you personally. I have been involved with the PNG contemporary art community for over 10 years now and without a doubt the greatest strength of these artists is their ability to communicate very strong social and political commentary. The completed works ‘speak’ to all walks of life, people from all backgrounds, areas and interests and bring issues to the attention of a much wider audience. Jeffry and Ratoos are two of our better known artists, internationally as well as at home, and both regularly deal with these sorts of issues in their work.
The art community here is, although sadly under appreciated, a wealth of talent, determination and one of the greatest ambassadors of the real Papua New Guinea.
-A Quarter To Twelve-
And the flyers came out
And the memories of that
One night all roll back
Like a massive carpet thrown forward
A carpet painted with emotions
All laid bare
In the open
Ready to pounce at the heart
Of the brave
Of the willing
Of the one who’s
Only desire is to embrace
The art
Like cupid would to
I watched time tick by
Anticipating
And then I feel it
Oh how my creative soul
Slipping away
Down the lift
And out to the sidewalk
Its like it has been summoned
To be with the standstill of time
And I hear it call
My creative soul
It whispered to my heart
Toying with my heartstrings
And I am drawn away
Into the lift I follow the tune
Onto the sidewalk
And the song
My creative soul it starts to sing
And I am stolen away
Lost to this world
With only the sighing that very soon
My creative soul will
Smile that I listened
And there beyond
The buzzing of the cars
The clamoring of the day
I see where my creative soul
Had led me too
Up ahead the standstill of time
And it spoke…
A Quarter To Twelve
By Marie-Rose Sau
HI Manu,
Great article and the poem by Marie-Rose reinforced the sentiments. Thank you artists olgeta.
Was there myself – it was awesome! Read your FB entries and the photos are wonderful – capturing the spirit of those creative moments.
Best,
Mari
Neo, your words capture the tru heart of the creative spirit. I really appreciate and value how you’ve expressed the grassroots depth that has been impacted by such passionate creative leaders! As you say, a tru artist is not distracted by the lure of fame, but is drawn to his/her purpose of communicating that of his/her vision through a visual language that transcends the audible dialect and strikes at the very root of one’s spirit. Thanks for writing this!