ARTIST Ebony G Patterson walked away with the Aaron Matalon Award for ‘best of show’ at the Jamaica Biennial 2014 which opened at the National Gallery of Jamaica in downtown Kingston on Sunday.

Patterson’s contributions to this year’s biennial — Lily, Carnation and Rose Buds — Dead Trees and Trunk, Stump and Dominoes — have already been show-stoppers at the historic Devon House mansion which has been utilised as one of the off-site locations for this year’s event.

“It feels so good,” said Patterson in reaction to the win. “This year the win is even more special considering that I have had such a pressed year, and having been nominated at previous biennials, it is really a great way to end the year.”

She added that an award coming from the National Gallery of Jamaica makes it even more special.

“The Matalon Award comes from the National Gallery, a space where I feel like I have grown up. To get a nod from an institution that you respect is that much more special.”

However, Patterson wasn’t the only winner at what is being described as the largest biennial exhibition. Camille Chedda and Kimani Beckford were the joint recipients of the inaugural Dawn Scott Memorial Award.

This award was the idea of Edward Gomez, art critic and long-time friend of the artist Dawn Scott, who died in 2010.

According to Gomez, the winners reflected the spirit of Dawn Scott in their work, exhibiting an innovation in handling material as well as a daring approach to their projects.

Chedda shared the award for Wholesale Degradables, a mixed media installation of acrylic paint on plastic bags. Gomez, in commenting on her work, noted that “it represented an inventive use of basic items which give new form and meaning to portraiture and make the work fresh and compelling.”

“It feels good,” Chedda told the Jamaica Observer. “I have been working with plastic bags for a number of years just looking at the disposable nature of people and cultures. For this work, I just developed on the theme of who is degradable,” she continued

Gomez described Beckford’s B.I.B (Black is Beautiful), a mixed media on canvas work, as “an enigmatic picture which showcases the power of portraiture.”

For Beckford, being a part of the biennial makes him “super excited” and winning the inaugural Dawn Scott Award just adds to the experience.

“I am honoured. This also serves as motivation for me to continue the journey I am currently on. To be acknowledged is such a motivation.”

Beckford’s work B.I.B is part of a series in which he uses simple poses to portray a stance of self-confidence and self-pride.

Sunday’s official opening was not free of controversy.

Artist Christopher Irons whose work, World Boss, forms part of the exhibition, staged a one-man protest outside the doors of the gallery.

The artiste used T-shirts printed with less-than- favourable images of Culture Minister Lisa Hanna and members of staff of the national gallery including executive director Dr Verlee Poupeye, as placards.

According to Irons, “These people are using the art fraternity to market themselves. They are like the Ebola, they are like a disease.”