Olympic Sport and Art Exhibition-It’s ‘Joy of Sport’ for Nourrice and Ernesta’s ‘Reminiscent’ of the past |08 March 2008
Before officially opening the exhibition and the top-three finishers in the painting and sculpture categories were presented with their prizes, Snoc president Gopal said that “it is the wish of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to foster an active synergy between the worlds of art and sport at national and international levels and to heighten perception of the link between these two areas.”
Mr Gopal, who represented Seychelles at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Russia, noted that an arts festival is organised during every edition of the Olympic Games and this is no exception this year when China’s capital city Beijing will host the biggest multi-sports Games.
He thanked Minister Meriton for the good relation that exists between his ministry and the local Olympic body.
The works of Nourrice and Ernesta will now enter the international phase of the competition to vie for a place among the top eight projects which will be exhibited during the 29th edition of the Olympic Games, expected to be the best ever.
It is IOC’s department of International Cooperation and Development in collaboration with the Olympic Museum which will run the international phase.
It is to note that the IOC has been organising an international art exhibition during the Olympic Games since 1968 in Mexico.
Winners Nourrice and Ernesta pocketed R10,000 each. Barry Morel finished second in the sculpture category to receive R5,000, while John Bouzin was third and got R3,000.
Runner-up to winner Nurrice in the painting division was Christine Chetty and third place went to Marc Luc. They received R5,000 and R3,000 respectively.
Commenting on his colourful ‘Joy of Sport’ painting which shows different exciting sporting activities assembled in one, Nourrice said that “I knew I could win the top prize of the painting competition with this piece of work. It wasn’t an easy job and I’m very happy with first place. I know competition will be tough at international level but I am not losing hope of making the last eight.”
As for Ernesta, he said that he was not going to participate in the competition but only did so after doing a sketch in his diary. This resulted in the ‘Reminiscent’ project, a recollection of the past.
“It all started when I drew a sketch of a boy playing with a wheel, something young Seychellois used to do in the past. Then I told myself ‘this would be good for the Olympic Sport and Art Exhibition’. It took me five days to work on the project and the five wheels not only represent the five rings of the Olympic movement. They are also in competition with each other.”
G. G.