Speech at the 60th Texaco Children’s Art Competition
Great Hall, Kilmainham, 27th May 2014
Tá fíor-áthas orm a bheith anseo tráthnóna le haghaidh an 60ú (seascú) searmanas bronnta de chuid Ghradam Ealaíne Texaco do Pháistí. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh le James Twohig as an gcuireadh a bheith in bhur dteannta inniu agus as na focail chineálta fháiltiúla sin. Táim buíoch díbh go léir, freisin, as an bhfáilte an-fhlaithiúil sin.
[I am delighted to be here this afternoon for the 60th Texaco Children’s Art Awards Ceremony. I would like to thank James Twohig for his invitation to join you today and for those kind words of welcome. I am also grateful to all of you for that very generous reception.]
The Texaco Art Competition is ingrained in the memories of generations of Irish children. Even those who never took part in the competition themselves, will recall those artistically talented schoolfriends or even siblings for whom this event was an important opportunity to express their talent and even, in some cases, sow the seeds of a future career in the creative sphere.
The roll call of previous winners of the Texaco Art Competition is a very impressive one and includes such distinguished and recognized names as Graham Knuttel, Robert Ballagh, Paul Costello, Clare Boylan, Bernadette Madden, Thelma Mansfield, Jean Anne Crowley, Terry Prone, Ethna Tinney, David Begg and indeed the current Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn. A very impressive list indeed.
All of these and many more former winners and participants have gone on to make their contribution in a wide variety of careers and vocations; using their creativity and gift for original thinking for the benefit of our society in many different ways.
This year, another group of young people have presented their artistic skills and talents to the judges of this competition – astonishing and impressing them with their originality, their ability to let their imaginations run free, and encounter the magic that can exist in the everyday when we look at things from new angles and different perspectives.
Responding to the paintings we celebrate here today, I am struck by the use of colour in some; the reflective light and shade in others; some contain a great sense of motion and action; and then others capture a rare moment of stillness and repose. But most of all, I am aware of how every painting is important, reflecting as it does the very essence of the person who created it; and that is why the work, and the creative genius it represents, is so personal, yet exceptional and irreplaceable.
Each painting displayed here, and indeed all those that were submitted to this competition, are unique. I am sure that many of our young artists will have noticed, in their art classes in school, how even though the entire class may be given the same object to paint everyone’s picture will look a little bit different and that each pupil will bring something very singular and distinctive to their own work.
That, of course, is because we are both unique persons and social beings, sharing time and space and we all have our own imaginative, and indeed practical, contributions to make to our communities. And, just as we respect and admire the way other people choose to sketch a drawing or colour a painting we must also listen to and respect the many diverse voices and viewpoints that make up our communities and, of course, our society as a whole.
When we have the opportunity to access art we learn that there is often no single way of looking at something or of completing a task. Sometimes there are just different ways of seeing things or understanding what we encounter or interpreting the situations or problems we view around us. Art can remind us that there are many ways of working together, of sharing, of doing the best we can, and flourishing as a result.
I am sure the parents and art teachers here would agree that, when they look at the many imaginative and wonderful ways their children and pupils can paint a similar object or scene, they are reminded of the importance of being open to other people’s point of view; and of accepting that, just because someone is different from us, it does not mean they are lesser or greater than us, or that their perspective or their voice is of more or less importance than ours. Art, in fact, teaches us a very democratic truth as to how we can work together and enjoy all the things that we share in common while also celebrating the diversity amongst us; the things that make each of us different, distinctive and unique.
I have spoken, on many occasions, of the importance of encouraging the seedbed of creativity in our communities and of ensuring that each child has the opportunity for creative expression – opportunities that will bear fruit in later life, wherever each child may choose to leave their mark. Pablo Picasso once said:
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
Some of the award winners here today – like their illustrious predecessors who I mentioned earlier – may decide, in years to come, to make their living in the world of the Arts. Others may decide to use their innate creativity and imagination to contribute to other sectors and dimensions of our society.
It is important, however, that the young people being honoured at this event do not ever abandon their great gift for fresh thinking, creative expression and generous communication, but rather that they go on to aspire to bring those very special gifts to all that they choose to do in coming years.
Today, the Texaco Children’s Art Competition marks six decades of fostering and encouraging artistic talent in young people. The objective set for the competition all those years ago was: ‘to support and encourage children through art’ and even in its initial year it attracted an interest and entry level that far exceeded expectations. Although that first event was held in an Ireland very different from the one we know today, the popularity of the competition has grown and flourished; surviving and remaining relevant in an increasingly technological world where many different activities and distractions compete for the attention of our young people.
Níor cheart dúinn riamh ligean i ndearmad tábhacht an ealaíontóra mar iompróir traidisiúin agus an chaoi a leanann ár n-óige sa chontanam (sa leanúnachas) sin trí pháirt a ghlacadh sa chomórtas seo: contanam (leanúnachas) ina dtarraingíonn siad ó thaisce na n-éachtaí ealaíonta inar fhág an oiread sin dár sinsear a lorg, anseo in Éirinn agus i bpobail nua Éireannacha trasna an domhain.
[We should never forget just how much the artist is a carrier of tradition and how, by participating in this competition, our young people continue to form part of a cultural continuum: a continuum in which they draw from that reservoir of artistic achievement by which so many of our forefathers left their marks, both here in Ireland and in new Irish communities across the globe.]
In conclusion, I would like to thank and commend all those who have been involved in the Texaco Children’s Art Competition across the years and have made such a major contribution to the cultivation and development of artistic talent in this country. I would also like to acknowledge the teachers and parents who, with their generosity and most precious resource – time, have played their own important part in the success of the young people who are being honoured here today.
And finally, of course, I congratulate all our award winners. This competition attracts many thousands of entries every year and your achievement in being selected for an award is something of which you, your families and your schools can be very, very proud. I wish each and every one of you continued success in the future; a future in which I am confident you will all make your own significant and creative contributions to the community and society in which you live.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.