Saint Lucians are invited to a two-day exhibition at the Castries City Hall auditorium that promises to be a tapestry of cultural talent that’s spanned Saint Lucia and the UK and is rooted in showcasing vintage objects in Century 21.
Veronica Leona ‘Vayvay’ Richardson is a London-based abstract and graphic artist, exhibitor and curator, who’ll showcase her talents here tomorrow and the day after (Thursday 14 and Friday 15 November) through an art exhibition entitled ‘Vintage Journey – The Paradise’
The exhibition, starting at 10 am each day, promises to display items from a wide range of objects along Vayvay’s vintage journey and the artist says it’ll also inform viewers of aspects of local heritage that may not have been realized or overlooked by historians and cultural exhibitors.
Vayvay has been honing her skills in arts and crafts for decades.
The exhibition’s curator says it “explores the history of Black people in the UK (including Black people in Tudor England) and other authentic and poignant historical events that shaped global societies for expression through the arts.”
This is thus far her greatest work, described as “An eclectic collection via a solo arts and crafts exhibition: a wealth of vintage and contemporary objects, including pieces hand-made from precious metals, which include semi-precious stones, paintings, and jewellery.”
There will be an array of hand-printed textiles and specialist paper made for a variety of uses.
Also on display will be a collection of unmounted Saint Lucia stamps from the 1950s through to the 1970s.
There will also be local products on display, such as domestic pressing irons which were used at home, and some commercial shoemaker’s lasts.
The Roman Catholic Church (the majority faith of Saint Lucia) was one of the great patrons of the Renaissance of the 14th – 16th centuries, which encompassed the revival of classical styles in art and literature for display.
A selection of Old Master techniques will be exhibited.
Born and raised in Castries, she describes herself as ‘A child of the 50s’, who “developed the characteristics and fortitude of the times that instilled curiosity, discipline and hope.”
Her initial launch into the creative arts happened in 1975, when she was crowned the 1975 National Carnival Queen of the Bands.
Vayvay has since made London her home, but her “love for her island nation and the opportunities of a newfound life in the United Kingdom fused to form a perfect marriage” that would take her artistic passions to a new level.
Her travels to Europe and the Caribbean, including Cuba, heightened her interests in “vintage and contemporary objects.”
A student of City and Guilds of London Art School, Veronica captured awards for her work in creative techniques at the institute’s staged exhibition in London in 2017.