Seychelles' Eden Art Space Gallery: Fostering a Dynamic Contemporary Art Scene

Shelley Morden, director of Eden Art Space Gallery, discusses the growth of contemporary art in Seychelles. The gallery, located in Eden Island's premier shopping plaza, was established in 2017 by Arterial Network Seychelles to exhibit local and international artists. It is primarily funded through sales commissions and specific grants for exhibition catalogs. The gallery collaborates with Arterial Network, whose board includes emerging artists, art teachers, and cultural professionals, to curate exhibitions and secure funding through modest annual membership fees introduced during the pandemic. Despite a historical focus on tourist-oriented figurative art, the scene is diversifying with more artists exploring new media and conceptual work. The sixth edition of the Biennale, postponed to July, promises unprecedented variety. Women play a crucial role, with many female artists balancing family and creative work; fifteen women exhibited 165 works at Expo 2020 Dubai. Artists address themes like environmental protection and human rights but avoid explicit sexual content due to social norms. The gallery also runs educational programs, including workshops for the Big Draw festival and donations of the book 'Art in Seychelles – Then and Now' to schools.