The long-awaited Maldivian contemporary art exhibition, Unveiling Visions 2020 is now open to the public. Following social distancing protocols laid forth by the government, the exhibition is being held at the National Art Gallery from 22nd to 29th October. This year’s edition features artwork from 52 participating artists.
Unveiling Visions is an initiative by the Maldivian Artist Community (MAC), an NGO established in 2016 to promote local artistry within the Maldives. Since the year of its inception, Unveiling Visions has been annually exhibited, initially with only 23 artists. In 2017, it hosted 32 artists, and in 2018 and 2019, there was a turnout of 43 and 55 artists respectively.
Partners of Unveiling Visions 2020 include the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage, as well as the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment. The opening ceremony of the exhibit was held on 22nd October, graced by a number of esteemed government officials, including Vice President Faisal Naseem and Youth Minister Ahmed Mahloof.
In a speech given during the ceremony, Vice President Faisal reiterated the positive correlation between the country’s progress and the skillful talent shown by Maldivian local artists. He stated that this was precisely the reason why the government continuously supports youth education and training.
The exhibition opening hours are between 10am and 6pm, and later in the evening, from 8pm to 10pm. Entry is free to the public. MAC has urged all visitors to follow all precautions from authorities, wear masks, and maintain social distancing at all times during the exhibition.