BY AGNES MENANOPO
YOUNG Solomon Islands artist, Jackson Diosi will debut his international first-price winning award painting at 2020 UK CLiP Conference in London.
He was announced the Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP) Marine Litter Challenge top prizewinner at the presentation program previously held at the Art Gallery in Honiara.
“It was very shocking, however, I am grateful to be announced the winner of the art competition,” an exited Diosi told Solomon Islands Environment Media.
He said when I noticed the competition was advertised in the Solomon Star Newspaper, I didn’t hesitate to register myself because I have a big interest in the fighting against plastic pollution and marine littering in the Solomon Islands.
“As a young artist, I am now inspired to work on more art that will send a clear message on how to look after our environment from marine litter and waste pollution,” he added.
Being the overall adult art winner, Diosi was presented with a pack of new painting materials and a return ticket to London in 2020 where he will participate in the CLiP International Conference where all the recognized artists around the Commonwealth countries will get together to showcase their exhibitions.
“It will be such an honor and a great opportunity for me to travel with my piece of artwork, tell my story and showcase my talent to other artists around the world,” Diosi said happily.
48 artists: 25 Solomon Islands and 23 Vanuatu under the adult art category entered this year’s Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP) Marine Litter Challenge.
Diosi won the pollution landscape-painting prize with his artwork entitled – “Depends” – which draws inspiration from the untimely struggle to stop the environmental concerns of littering and plastic waste pollution land and sea.
He said the winning artistic work depicts his three favorite marine creatures; Dolphin, Leather Back turtle and Sailing fish. – The respective marine species are trapped in the bondage of plastics.
“Littering caused by human activities on land including waste plastic products dumped by moving sea vessels or garbage produce by industrial wastes produced by factories can also kill marines species.
“Marine creatures can’t speak, but we can just tell from their deaths and how much they are suffering from plastics produced by people on land. To fight or protest against plastic pollution and to save our marine animals, it cannot be done by an individual but by a group of people.
“The clock on the art piece reminds us that the time is running out and counting on us to find solutions to marine litter.”
Diosi said for him to draw the scenery of the environmental pollution took him quite a considerable period of time and ample research work on the issues of land and marine littering.
“It took me quite a lot of personal commitment to put every aspect of the scenery in my winning piece of artwork. To be able to capture every essence of the story in just one piece of art is quite a difficult task, but doing similar work more often made it easier for me.
“It took me a lot of brainstorming, which was exactly two day for me to be able to work on the requirements of the art competition organizers and also to put all the aspects of the story in my artwork,” he added.
The 22-year-old artist is best known for his creative and figurative artworks on canvas, using acrylic and oil paint, specializing in landscapes and portraits. He opts to paint everything from a diversity of traditional and modern artwork creations.
Diosi previously participated in a three months Art and Cultural exchange trip in Indonesia. His participation in the three months exchange program in 2018 has equiped him positive knowledge and skills in terms of visual art.
Jackson Diosi exposed to art from a young age, and even chose to sketch on scrap papers and even his schoolbooks. His dedication to drawing was more than a hobby but a passion he valued to this very day.
“I started to learn and practise the art of drawing and painting at my earliest age; my dad noticed my gifted talent and creative skill from there and continued to support my creativity by purchasing sketch books and drawing materials.
“My dad is a church minister and has a strong belief in my potential as a young artist,” the youngest member in the family of five children said.
Young Diosi said he wasn’t able to make it to form six level of education, since he used most of his time to draw and sketch and less time with his academic studies.
“I remembered been teased by my fellow high school students and even my own siblings when I didn’t make it to form six level of education.
“Feeling down hearted and I somehow regretted the situation, my dad, however never gave up on me and continued to encourage me to concentrate and focus on doing art works.
“Now that I have come to learn and know the importance and how it felt to be an artist; now I have no regrets being unable to complete my highest level in my journey in the country’s formal education system.
British High Commissioner to SI and non-resident British High Commissioner of Vanuatu and the Republic of Nauru, His Excellency David Ward acknowledged the participants of the competition.
“Thank you for your entry to the Pacific Marine Litter Challenge.
“All the entries were fantastic to see and judging the winners was really difficult. Everyone who entered is a winner in terms of raising awareness of the problems and solutions to marine litter.
“The art competition may be finished but it will not be the last to hear about the fight against plastic pollution. At the moment, Western province is making plans to ban the use of plastic bags.
“We will see further steps like that because plastic is not going to go away and so we have to learn how to reduce the use of it and deal with it more responsibly.
“So this maybe the beginning of the struggle against plastic pollution which is to go on for many years. I do hope that some of the work that we see in this competition will inspire not just those who worked on it but others as well to continue the fight against plastic pollution,” Ward said.
