National Gallery of Seychelles set to open in National Library   |07 September 2023

Mr D’Offay (second right) speaking during yesterday’s press conference (Photo: Joena Meme)

• First exhibition scheduled for November

With the opening of the National Library in June, a space has been reserved for the National Gallery of Seychelles and the first exhibition is scheduled for November.

This was announced by the executive director of Creative Seychelles Agency (CSA) Emmanuel D’Offay in the presence of the permanent secretary of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, Cecile Kalebi in a press conference held yesterday morning at the International Conference Centre Seychelles (ICCS).

The National Gallery will function as the most important exhibition space in Seychelles. The revamped exhibition area covers some 300 square metres, with high ceilings and a structural format, which eases modular, flexible display areas.

Mr D’Offay shared that work has continued to ensure that the gallery is ready to hold its first exhibition of contemporary fine art in January 2024. Prior to this, there will be an exhibition of maps in November of this year.

“In addition to being a truly modern gallery space, with professional hanging systems and furnishings, the gallery will benefit from an open-plan reception/sales area, with internet stations providing direct access to images of work made by leading Seychellois creatives. There will also be a dedicated storage and packing zone. The gallery will be staffed by specialist gallerists, trained to deliver the protocols which set out in detail how the gallery will function,” he further explained.

All exhibitions will be curated, either by CSA or other curators specifically engaged to oversee a particular exhibition. Exhibitions will feature both local and international artists, with 75 percent of the exhibition calendar being allocated to the showcasing of work by Seychellois and resident artists.

Exhibitions will typically be one person, two persons or small group, or larger group exhibitions such as biennales. They will typically run for four to six weeks.

Once revived, the national collection of art will also be exhibited in the gallery, in whole or in part, on a rotational basis.

Mr D’Offay explained that the CSA will also invite local creatives to register their interest in exhibiting.

“We will promote this through an open call in the near future, and in the meantime would appreciate the media’s assistance in encouraging artists to contact us and express interest in showing their work,” he said.

Unfortunately, young students will not get access to this space. “The students will have other ‘Carrefour’ to exhibit their talents and we also have private galleries that can accommodate them,” said Mr D’Offay.

The first exhibition will be a solo one by Seychelles’ renowned artist Leon Radegonde. Radegonde exhibited at the Venice biennale in 2015 and 2017, as well as at many other significant international exhibitions.

His work is widely admired and collected and the exhibition at the National Gallery will enable the public to see a selection of new works which demonstrate new directions, whilst consolidating the artist’s signature style of image creation.

Further exhibitions will be announced in due course.

Vidya Gappy