Following the successful and exciting symposium on the life and works of Frantz Fanon at The College of The Bahamas Fanon Symposium 2011 this past December, College of the Bahamas professors Craig Smith and Keithley Woolward are ready to establish the framework for year-round critical conversations open to the public.

Their Critical Caribbean Symposium Series (CCSS) for the spring, which kicked off last month and will continue into March, will continue with a series of three conversations that further certain topics touched upon in their Fanon Symposium.

On February 24 between 6-8 p.m. at Popopstudios, the CCSS will hold “Education for Liberation” which will examine the need for educational reform in the country in order to liberate and advance its people.

The list of panelists – representatives from the afterschool education program The Indaba Project; Reverend Livingston Malcolm, the superintendent minister of the Methodist church in Nassau; human rights activist Erin Greene; UWI Representative Michael Stevenson; and scholar Niambi Campbell whose work examines education in fostering a sense of community – is a reflection of just how far these conversations can go.

“The idea is education and liberation and some people would argue the modes of education we have now aren’t liberatory at all; they actually serve to maintain the status quo. So what we wanted was different voices who offered different perspectives outside of the traditional institutions of learning – what other ways can we think of learning and education that is liberatory?” said Craig Smith.

The final conversation on March 30 from 7-9 p.m. at The Hub will also present a varied panel from the creative community to address “Revolutionary Cultural Engagements and Practices”.

With a panel made up of such distinguished guests as Bahamian filmmaker and director Kareem Mortimer, marketing and branding specialist Royann Dean, National Art Gallery of The Bahamas Chief Curator and COB Assistant Professor John Cox, abstract artist Tony Lunn and Smith himself, the conversation will definitely redefine culture by the end of the night.

“This looks at how we think about culture and how we can think about culture in revolutionary ways,” explains Smith. “When we think about culture in The Bahamas, we think peas and rice and Junkanoo. There’s nothing wrong with that but I think we are a diverse people and our culture is made up of all sorts of different things, so we’ll think about ways we can engage in culture and expand it.”

For more information on the upcoming panels for the Critical Caribbean Symposium Series, call 302-4381 or visit www.cob.edu.bs.

Read full article by Sonia Farmer, The Nassau Guardian

Margot Bethel’s woodworking class is geared specifically towards women in order to give them useful hands-on carpentry skills in a safe environment. Photo by the Nassau Guardian

Popopstudios International Center for the Visual Arts started ofJanf 2012 with the first round of formal art classes taught by professional local artists. With those classes successfully coming to a close, the institution is looking ahead at their next round, where they will continue to offer some of the same that made their first semester so successful, as well as some new options that will continue to define Popopstudios as a major art institution in the country.

With five new classes – Art of Drawing with John Cox (Mondays 6-9 p.m.); Intaglio (Etching) with Holly Parotti (Wednesdays 6-9 p.m.); Textiles with Jan Elliott (Wednesdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m.); Woodworking for Women with Margot Bethel (Thursdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m.); and Multimedia with Heino Schmid (Saturdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m.) – Popopstudios continues to offer basic foundation classes with a mix of specialized and non-traditional options, explains Popop’s Educational Officer, Katrina Cartwright.

“I do endeavour to create a curriculum where we have an ideal foundation. Then having some other courses that stem from those and that are non-traditional are great because it takes us out of the realm of what we normally think of as art,” she says.

“Having Jan teach a textiles course this time is wonderful because textiles are not always seen as an art form. So what I really want to do is create an environment where people can come and try all art forms.”

This time they’re also aiming to appeal to an even wider cross-section of Bahamian society by making their multimedia class – taught by Heino Schmid – geared towards art instructors. Such a class will encourage these instructors to build their own artistic practice, allowing that to inform their quality of work, points out Director of Popopstudios CVA John Cox.

“I think a lot of art educators don’t practice and I think the way they form their information is less through experience and more through traditional academic means, but something gets lost there and I think we can help fill those gaps,” he says.

“So we want to be fundamental and deal with those kinds of foundations but we also want to be dynamic and contemporary as well and engage fresh art practice.”

Indeed the classes tie into Popop’s collaborative structure as an institution – by networking with other galleries locally and internationally, as well as encouraging a teaching practice from their local and international residential artists, the classes become part of a collective effort to tap into and inform creative conversations. Students taking part in these classes not only will find themselves part of this vital conversation, but will also find themselves as vital parts of its growth.

“I think that the way forward for education in general is about dialogue and exchange, more so than it is about repetition,” says Cox. “So we need to adapt, we need to listen to the needs of the people interested in taking these courses, and we need to have enough confidence to project what we think the art community needs.”

Not only that, but students can feel free to take a class without the need to just jump through hoops – the classes are not connected to a larger degree program, and can be accessed by anyone at all with a willingness to learn and have fun.

What exciting is that their first set of classes has already brought into the Popop art community a diverse cross section of the Bahamian public. Even though classes are filled with students at different levels of practice coming from different backgrounds; everyone learns something new from each session, says Cox, whose drawing class has been offering great foundational skills.

“I think that the greatest thing about my class is that there are 10 people who are comfortable with one another and who are at different levels – for some its their first formal instruction since college and others are quite experienced. But the overall dynamic of the class is really comfortable,” he says.

“It’s something that brings people together and it moves us away from that idea of art being the subject of – that art is an empty vessel, but every other subject under the sun is the subject of art,” he continues. “I think people are much closer to these processes than they understand; I think all we do is help reveal, to remove those barriers that help them to engage the work more easily.”

For Margot Bethel, whose woodworking class is geared specifically towards women in order to give them useful hands-on carpentry skills in that same kind of safe environment, her classes are not only a time to teach but to help her students problem solve personal projects.

“It takes a while to get the basics down, but I’m willing to help students with other personal projects as we go along,” she says. “I can be a consultant and help them each with their own goals.”

For Holly Parotti – whose Intaglio course will offer an in-depth look to this printmaking technique and which will take a departure from her current class, Introduction to Printmaking – the classes at Popop offer a chance for students from different backgrounds with different desires to tap into a similar creative goal.

“I have a florist, a quilt-maker, a fashion designer – I call my group the most diversified because I only have one Bahamian in it,” she says. “I think beyond giving you something to do, the classes open up a different perspective and lend an insight to appreciate and understand a process more.

You can experience work within the Popop community and create work within the community, and it’s necessary to just keep that creative circle going.”

Whether wishing to reconnect with an old creative outlet, craving to try something new, or just hoping to become part of a creative community of like-minded individuals, students who have been attending the classes and who they can continue to expect to register have brought accessibility and an exciting new energy to an art community often viewed as insular.

“It’s wonderful because I was worried we’d just see the regulars,” says Cartwright. “So being able to see people coming in from all walks of life who have such a positive attitude and who enjoy the classes so much, it lets us know that we’re heading in the right direction.”

“I would say to the general public that if you’ve ever had an interest in trying any of these art practices, this is an opportunity to become a part of something bigger,” she continues. “Once you become part of the family here, even if you chose not to take another semester here, you’ll always know what’s happening, you’ll always be able to participate in anything we have going on around here. Being a friend of Popop will help you learn more about what’s happening and how you can help.”

Classes begin in April but registration is now open. To find out more or to register, check out www.popopstudios.com or call 322-7834.

Sonia Farmer
The Nassau Guardian
Arts & Culture
Published: Saturday, February 17, 2012

As in its previous three years, in exchange for a small donation of $15, guests not only receive a delicious meal of Bahamian soup and a beautiful handcrafted keepsake in the form of a ceramic bowl – as well as a bread roll and a cup of fevergrass (lemongrass) tea – but also the satisfaction that they are working together with other Bahamians to fight a growing hunger problem in the country.

Originally conceived by John Harton, a teacher in Bloomfiled, MT, the Empty Bowls charity event has spread to communities fighting hunger all over the world – including The Bahamas.

“Everyone has their own version of Empty Bowls – ours takes on a Bahamian flavor,” says Joann Behagg, who worked with a committee to bring the event to The Bahamas. “We’re promoting Bahamian culture through the arts. We’re trying to make people aware of things that are Bahamian so that we’re not downplaying our culture.”

Indeed the afternoon will be about all things Bahamian – this year they’re spotlighting Bahamian culinary delights by serving up such native staples as chicken souse, peas soup and dumpling, conch chowder, okra soup and pumpkin soup, as well as native fevergrass tea.

They will be served in handmade bowls – by such local ceramicists as Joann Behagg, Nadia Smith, Alistair Stevenson, Katrina Cartwright, Neko Meicholas and Robert Pennerman – which guests can keep as a thanks for their donation.

This year, the committee has even been speaking to local schools about their mission, bringing on student volunteers to create bowls for the event as well.

Yet that’s not all the event has in store – besides celebrating culinary arts and visual arts, the charity event will have donated artwork on sale by such local artists as Rosemarie Laing, Danderia Bethel, Kennel Augustine and Don Russel, and will celebrate the performing arts with such local sensations as Jazz Etc, Nicolasena Davis Carter, Sonovia Pierre, and the National Children’s Choir.

All proceeds from the event will go towards the Great Commission Ministries International who work to feed many hungry Bahamians each day with filling and nutritious meals. Whereas in a previous year their donations have also gone towards providing relief to post-earthquake Haiti, this year the proceeds will go toward buying materials to donate to Family Island communities still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Irene.

Behagg points out that the event is a chance for artists to use their talents to benefit the community.

“Artists can give and artists can make other people aware of the needs of the community through their giving,” she says. “Through their efforts people not only see their work but also see that they have a heart, a conscience, and that they’re willing to share their talent with other people.”

“This event allows us to share our talents with our fellow Bahamians and make them aware that what you have is not just yours, it was given to you by your Father, and therefore he is asking you to help people who are in need – and people who are in need are hungry in our country.”

Empty Bowls Charity Event is free to attend and will take place February 26, 1 p.m.- 6 p.m. at Queen’s College on Village Road. To place an order for tickets for bowls and soup at $15 per person, call 327-8109 – though they will also be available at the door.

Sonia Farmer
The Nassau Guardian
Arts & Culture
Published: Saturday, February 17, 2012

Interview with Chief Curator from the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, John Cox. Cox was born in Nassau and later attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in the United States. He has a BFA in Illustration and an MAT in Art Education. Cox is an artist, an Associate Professor at the College of The Bahamas and the owner and director of Popopstudios International Center for the Visual Arts. Cox joined the NAGB team in January 2012.

Interviewer: What do you think the role of the curator is?

John: I think the role of the curator is to use a metaphor, it is like being a conductor of an orchestra, so it is about responsibility, leadership, delegation and creativity. It’s like being a Director, in the context of creating a film, in the sense that there are people doing filming, people doing editing and casting, so it’s about being on top of the entire dynamic structure of the exhibition.

I think that is what the act of curating is about. It is the sensitive handling of the creative process that didn’t begin with you, but ends with you.

I: Have you curated anywhere else?

J: My first experience doing curatorial work was at RISD, I didn’t think of it as curating though. RISD was my first experience doing it, but I didn’t think, “I am curating an exhibition now”.

I must have been about 19 or 20 when I did that, but I felt that it was a craft in and of itself, the ability to hang the shows and present the work, it was like the final follow through of any individual artist’s process.

I: What would you say makes a strong curator then?

J: I think that it is someone who is very fluent in the language and is able to translate, to basically be the interpreter. The curator needs to basically interpret the language of the art that they are responsible for. The resource of your gallery should also be taken into consideration, the physicality of the space, what kind of equipment you have that can support the work and so on.

What you really want to do is elevate the work, you don’t want to take it down a few steps, and you want to take it up. I think that is the goal of it, to bring a sense of clarity to the art.

I: Is that how you would define a ‘good’ show versus a ‘bad’ show, as in something that wasn’t translated in a digestible way?

J: It needs to be as digestible as it should be. The idea should not be to ‘dumb’ it down. You need to clear the path from the work to the viewer, that’s your responsibility. That’s what a gallery is really, its an artery, a conduit from the art to the audience, and all its staff should be focused on enhancing that experience. So what we try to do is to make the work as engaging, informative and provocative as we can based on how we install it, the colour of the walls, wall text, education, programs, labels and so on.

I:  You mention something about consciousness; do you think that it helps the curating process? Each individual is different and you tend to have more of an organic style, does having or not having consciousness help?

J: In terms of me being more organic, I think it is based on my experiences of finding myself having to make curatorial efforts now with paste experiences of previously being responsible for education. I find that the source of my knowledge in curating is experience.

I’ve had different ways attaining experience and I think that my knowledge is based on the fact that I know what it is like to make art. I have a pretty good understanding of a broad range of processes even though I don’t actually do them. I think that is what people want to know, they want to understand the processes, what would have motivated someone to do this or choose to tell their story in that way.

I think really, what it is, is that curating is telling stories with art.

I: So it seems that being an artist has really helped you do this.

J: Yeah, I think so. I think that artists have become very fluent at figuring out what languages they need to speak.

How you establish yourself is as a curator, is by being consistent for a long period of time. I think many people are thrown off, that if they’re not popular they think that they need to change their philosophy so that they’ll be more popular. What you need to do is be responsible in the beginning, set up your own ideology and stick with it for the long term because if you are very clear and thoughtful in your statements and what you’re doing, people will start to gravitate towards you. I believe that people respect and understand consistency more than anything else.

I: Yeah, you need to be able to trust the institution.

J: Yeah, I think trust is huge. If you don’t gain the trust of the art community or the artists that you are dealing with it is very, very difficult.

Source: Mixed Media
The National Art Gallery of the Bahamas Blog
Published Thursday, February 16, 2012

It becomes clearer every day that America is one big melting pot. The reasons people immigrate here are vast and varied, but the one thing that is clear of those who begin another life in the U.S. is that it will never be like their first home. They’ve been thrown “into the mix” per se.

Marlon Griffith, Cloud Installation

The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft opened its newest exhibition Into the Mix in the beginning of February. This exhibit explores the ways Caribbean artists search to find what is culturally authentic. This is also the first exhibit by Aldy Milliken, the new Executive Director & Chief Curator for KMAC. “Into the Mix, will be an excellent example of the return to Materiality for 10 artists that have a relationship to the Caribbean. By default, these artists are engaging in a debate of cultural stereotypes because they are often defined by a region instead of the large human issues of their practice such as politics, gender inequality, and cultural identity,” Milliken said.

The 10 artists include: Janine Antoni, Christopher Cozier, Blue Curry, Carlos Gamez de Francisco, Marlon Griffith, Sofia Maldonado, Wendy Nanan, Ebony G. Patterson, Sheena Rose, and Heino Schmid, with accompanying text and daily blog entries by arts and cultural writer, Nicholas Laughlin.

This debut exhibit by Milliken is on trend with the wave of exhibits around the country that are expanding awareness of work from the Caribbean in today’s contemporary art world. Beginning In 2009, the most prestigious art show in the Americas, Art Basel Miami decided it was time to address why Caribbean artists, who make up a large portion of the population in Miami and Brooklyn are rarely given the opportunity to meet and share ideas about their work. The exhibition, “The Global Caribbean – Focus on the Caribbean Contemporary Art Landscape,” was initiated in Miami by Culturesfrance, the French Government agency for international cultural exchanges. Several of the artists that are featured in KMAC’s exhibit were also a part of The Global Caribbean shows.

Louisville is no Miami, but a few of the artists travelled to Louisville to spend the week prior to the opening preparing their work. They also worked with local artists and students to create collaborative pieces for the exhibit, and participated in panel discussions. If artists out in the community weren’t enough to garner attention for this show, Puerto Rican artist Sofia Maldonado painted her street art installation on the first floor windows of the Museum. She described her piece as “the storm. In Puerto Rico we’re used to tropical storms. There is a peace that comes after the rain and wind and it creates unity among the people there.”

Blue Curry, untitled (tyres)

Artist Blue Curry originally from the Bahamas, works with sculptural assemblage, installation and video. He considers his work somewhere between cultural artifact, tourist souvenir and contemporary art piece. For his Untitled (Tyres) piece he said, “The tread on the tire has a certain affinity with the snake skin, when you look at the snake skin up close. If you ask me ‘What does this piece mean?’ I don’t really have a direct meaning to give you or for each of these pieces but they sort of work with this idea of getting you to think about what you’re looking at and to think about it in a different way.”

Sheena Rose’s work can only be fully appreciated in person because stills of video just don’t translate the full effect of her creative animation. She uses hand drawn animation and combines it with photographs, transfers and comic strips creating a moving art picture. “Town to Town” is about the busy urban life style and experience of Bridgetown, Barbados (where she is from) and Cape Town, South Africa where she spent three months in an art residency. In her statement she says, “I want the viewers to get the chance to see my interpretation between these two towns. I am interested in the daily lives of persons and the idea of the space.”

Aldy Milliken is taking KMAC into the contemporary art discussion with this show. Into the Mix will be on display from February 4th through April 14th. KMAC is located at 715 West Main Street.

By Julie Gross
Art In The Blue
Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft

Habitat – an exhibition of ceramic artwork by 2011 Popopstudios Junior Resident Artists, Keva Fawkes and Alistair Stevenson – opened on Thursday, February 16, 2012 with an impressive attendance. Both artists addressed the public, explaining their thought processes and concepts and expressing gratitude to The D’Aguilar Foundation, and Popopstudios for their experience as resident artists.

Related articles:
Resident Artists Expand Their Habitat

Habitat

Popopstudios is offering an exciting opportunity to adults and children. It will be facilitating both adult and children’s classes, which allow individuals to work with artists in various disciplines while exploring two and three- dimensional design concepts.

Adults will be given the option of choosing from multiple mediums while children’s classes will focus on general art. All participants must commit to a full twelve-week period where they will be given the opportunity to explore the material being used. Schedule and details for our Art Classes At Popop…

On Saturday 10th February 2012 John Cox armed himself with several cans of fabric ink, 40 t-shirts of varying sizes, and two silk printing screens and met the kids from the Diabetes Research Institute with a plan to print t-shirts for the Rock Wall Climbing event on March 10th. Here are some photos… visit DEN Bahamas for more photos and information. (Photos courtesy of Anita Cates, DEN Bahamas)

Bahamian artist El Padrino was gone for ‘a minute’, and now he is back with a new song and a new video. It is gaining positive reviews locally and internationally.

The “Duffles” video was shot on Rose Island and Norman’s Cay. It is the first video from the artist since he took his short break a year and a half ago.

“People were saying I fell off and they have not seen me in a while. They thought I was finished and I was not making music anymore. But we shocked everyone. We surprised them with this video,” he told In Ya Ear.

The Duffles music video, produced under the KAOS record label, was filmed and edited by Bahamian native Ryan Lightbourn. The video was first released on Padrino’s Youtube channel early this month and got 5,000 views. The video was also posted on the artist’s Facebook page, as well as other music sites.

One Padrino fan said: “This is by far the hottest music video to ever come out of the Bahamas. I love the video. The quality is great, so good job to everyone.”

In the video Padrino plays a drug dealer who is wanted by the police. Padrino and his crew stop at Norman’s Cay to pick up duffle bags filled with money. The stash house scene and interrogation room were filmed at Popop Studios.

“Some of the things this song talks about, are things that people are afraid to say. I am a very opinionated person and I say what I have to say in my music. The production value made the video stand out. I want to give credit to the whole team who helped made this video what it is,” Padrino said.

The audio track for Duffles has not been released for radio distribution as yet. The artist hopes the video will draw hype and attention for the song’s release.

“It was basically a marketing strategy and a business decision. The song is not even out yet and it is already getting positive reviews from fans all over.”

During Padrino’s apparent break, he was hard at work making enough music for almost three albums. The real break was from being in the lime-light and attending all of the social events, he said.

“People did not see me popping bottles at this party or the next and they thought I was not really doing anything. I took a break from all of that but I was still making music. When you are in the public’s eye that life becomes difficult at times because people are always getting in your business. It is as if you do not have a private life at all. This kind of stuff hurts your personal relationship with your family,” the artist said.

Padrino said his goal for the rest of the year is to continue developing his brand to attract a worldwide fan base.

“I am trying to market my music globally and add more value to my brand. This allows me to be able to expand worldwide and I have been successfully climbing towards that,” he said.

Duke and Lisa Wells from Scary Baby Doll Productions produced the Duffles video.

By FARAH
The Tribune
Published: Wednesday, February 15, 2012

DUFFLES MUSIC VIDEO

The Bahamas has seen many art shows over the years, but rarely comes along an artist brave enough to present a body of work that defies convention. The Central Bank of The Bahamas opened the year with one if its most provocative exhibitions to grace its gallery. Bahamian master artist John Beadle’s recent work, ‘Nature’s Lines’ draws our attention to the natural beauty of a line we often disregard. In what many deemed a long awaited solo exhibition, the crowds that filled the space proved this to be true. Bahamians from all walks of life joined together on January 19th to be a part of Beadle’s monumental moment.

Central Bank of the Bahamas Gallery - exhibition view

Although a heavy space, the gallery welcomes you with a certain level of stillness as the collection of lines creep along the walls of its interiors personifying the simplicity of nature. Intrigued by their movement you journey with them as they travel throughout the space guiding you through their palette of earthy hues which mimic red soil, limestone white, and blackened charcoal with hints of cobalt blue. The moment the light hits their surface revealing the unusual textures of their weathered material of jasmine vine, red mangrove root-wood, plywood and cooper casting shadows beneath; you realize that these lines have entered a world of three dimension. Beadle feels the shadows play a crucial part in adding another element to the work. “I think the shadow creates the space, it forces you to see a piece from a distance and even when you come to it, it forces you to recognize there is space between – a separation between the wall and the outer edge.”

Those who follow Beadle’s work know him to be an artist who uses unusual and sometimes salvaged materials in innovative ways so for them this exhibition comes as no surprise. In fact, a few may notice it bears a resemblance to some of his earlier work, ‘Fighting Hard, The Six of Us’ where he used short sections of vine material, attached to the surfaces of the assemblage and collage pieces. Beadle refers to the vine used then as “A gesture that emerged from the surface of the work. The aim then was to bring more dimension to the work… allow some aspect of the work to migrate off of the wall and into the viewer’s space.”

The lines in his current work intertwine imbuing fierce, volatile, and arbitrary tones yet as a collection they are not boisterous or overwhelming, but quiet in nature with a gracious zen quality. Inside your space you feel you can touch them and should touch them. You gravitate with a sense of curiosity, but out of respect for art you stand back and resist that impulse. Beadle is interested in how viewers interact with the line. He’s curious to see their first reaction and then their hesitation. “If the first reaction is to touch then there is that level of comfort. So it’s endearing somehow. The air around the solid, the negative space is a mutual space between the object and the viewer …allowing for a greater experience of the architecture of the object.”

I Don't Know about You, 2011 | Too Wicked, 2011 | Found Object #7, 2011 | Locomotion, 2011 (Left to Right)

Beadle often readdresses elements of his work. He feels it is important to make it relevant to his current creative practice as its about “bringing his history forward to some extent”. His present focus is concerned with the simplicity of the line and how space becomes an important role in the interpretation of the work. “This work is an attempt to liberate that gesture from all of the other elements that made those earlier works. My aim was to produce a line that did not work in service of anything other than itself… the line is the object. With this thinking, different kinds of lines became necessary; fine and fast, large and slow. Lines that would in a short travel, twenty four inches or so, go up and down, in toward the mounting surface and back into the gallery’s space. The line had to create its own space and occupy that space.” explains Beadle.

For many who visited the exhibition ‘Kind of Blue… Somewhat’ stood out as the focal piece. Perhaps its size or prominence of blue contrast against the bare wall is what drew them in, but for me it was its uncanny resemblance to Grand Bahama, the fifth largest island in The Bahamas. Relating the work with something I was familiar and finding a common factor to how the lines created fascinating shapes became an interesting way of interpreting this work and appreciating its sculptural form.

“My response to the material is as slight as possible… the aim is to allow the lines, textures, animation of the material and the space around to be the most important aspect of the work. My touch is necessary only to isolate what is already there so as to allow others to focus on that thing(s) that I am focused on. It is all about the line and how it exists as a sculpture. A sculpture that hangs off the wall.” Beadle explains.

Nature’s Lines lends itself to no conceptual interpretation, in fact it is the most simple work Beadle has produced, but he maintains that “Sometimes the work is not about anything other than the work.”

Article By Keisha Oliver
ARC Magazine