Govt failing artists, says spokesman

PAPUA New Guinea Tumbuna Visual Arts chairman Clement Koys says the government created music and arts as part of the curriculum in the education system from elementary to university but has no proper industry and field.
“Government needs to seriously look into the subject and see how many degree and diploma graduates in the universities are looking for a job today because no proper venue has been created for them to work,” Koys said.
“There has been no proper art gallery and talented artists selling their portraits on the roadsides, devaluing the designs, should have a proper industry.”
Koys said most parents would be disappointed when they hear about their children taking up arts at school and universities because they know there is no job for them.
“Papua New Guinea has diverse cultures, more than 800 languages which makes its isolation of ethnic groups unique.”
Koys said many self-taught and talented visual arts artists had been promoting cultures and traditional myths “through their portraits, murals and landscapes through their selling their painting to tourists and interested individuals but the Government has not appreciated it by creating a venue for them”.
“Art has been with us for many years, the authorities need to seriously look at it and do something about it,” he said.
Koys said that after 50 years artists still have not created a registered body yet they are taking part in exhibitions because there is no coordination from the authorities.
“They gather to showcase their painting in an event and leave without anything,” he said.
PNG Tumbuna Visual Arts Association is a newly established group for all artists in PNG.
The association is now open to interested artists and individuals.
The registration fee is K100.