Emerging Bahamian artist Angelika Wallace-Whitfield is pleased to present her upcoming show ‘Moments & Movements’ opening on Wednesday, May 28 from 6-9 pm at the D’Aguilar Art Foundation on Virginia Street, Nassau.

This exhibit presents her recent artworks, which are available for purchase and all proceeds will aid in her enrollment at The University of Arts London in September 2014.

Parking available on the Virginia Street entrance to FML Group of Companies, or Flowers’ offices.

About the work:

The first gesture, instinctive & simple, is what interests me more than painting an intricate detail. As of late, I have been finding a release within the abstract gestures of these pieces. They are smaller than I normally work. Working large will always be my first love, but as an artist, limitations are death to creativity & through breaking these barriers, creation, invention, and beauty are born.

The show doesn’t have an overriding theme, but the title ‘Moments & Movements’ captures my current situation and the subject of each piece. There is a continuation of the Animalistic series, and a lot of animals. The animals that I chose to focus on, fish & insects, are those whose instincts captures where I am in life right now before making this transition to university: constantly moving, yet pause every so often to appreciate their surroundings. I’m learning to surrender to the present, while not becoming complacent!

– Angelika Wallace-Whitfield

About the artist:

Twenty year old Angelika Wallace-Whitfield and graduated from high school three years ago, which now makes her ineligible for government scholarships. Though she presently works two jobs, she will still require additional support toward the tuition fees and associated costs for overseas travel and education.

Despite financial limitations, Wallace-Whitfield is passionate about pursuing a university education in fine arts and visual culture, to realize her future career goal of teaching at The College of The Bahamas and directing an art gallery. Before accepting her place at University of Arts London, she also applied and was accepted to Kent University (London) and Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, New York); with Pratt, she was one of 660 accepted students out of almost 7,000 applicants.

Wallace-Whitfield currently holds the position of curator at The D’Aguilar Art Foundation, and gallery assistant at The National Art Gallery of the Bahamas. At both locations she produces art events, designs exhibition spaces, interacts with art aficionados that visit various exhibitions, and does other tasks involved in bringing the fantastic art of the Bahamas into the public domain. The experience and knowledge of local art and art administration that she is am gaining at her jobs has been invaluable, but her career path is limited due to lack of a relevant tertiary education.

The artist’s goals:

Though known by various names and various institutions, Wallace-Whitfield’s degree goal is a dual major in Visual Culture & Art History. Through current work and involvement in the Bahamian art world, it has become apparent to the artist that we are disconnected as a region in our arts and visual culture due to a lack of communication, transportation, and education. She would therefore like to a platform for creative engagement, to create connections throughout the Caribbean and internationally, to bridge gaps, and open opportunities for the regional art community. She seeks to compliment her work as a professional artist with an education and experience that allows her to maximize her capacity as an art professional. Her eventual goal is to become a lecturer at The College of The Bahamas.

Source: ARC Magazine