Sonia Farmer, National Correspondent at The Nassau Guardian, interviewed several of the artists participating in the upcoming photography exhibit – “Deception”.
“Deception” opens on December 8, 2011 at 6:00pm at Popopstudios International Center for the Visual Arts and will feature photographs by Jason Bennett, Dede Brown, Steffon Grant, Kendal Hanna, Sabrina Lightbourn, Phoebe Luk, Jeff Major, Kishan Munroe, Holly Parotti, Alistair Stevenson, Lyndah Wells, John Cox, Duke Wells, Heino Schmid, Lisa Wells, Ash Henderson and Jackson Petit.
The article written by Sonia Farmer will be published in The Nassau Guardian’s Arts and Culture section on Saturday, December 3, 2011.
Thursday, December 1, 2011 From 6:00pm – 9:00pm At the Central Bank of the Bahamas Art Gallery
The exhibition will showcase the artist’s interest in cultural and personal symbolism and its relation to the human condition.
Artist, Omar Richardson explains, “The human condition is very closely related to human emotions. The key concepts in my work are memory, reflection, loss and re-invention. I believe the combination of photography, text and sound best reflects these interests of mixing the media. Because human emotions are so complex and layered I use colors, dramatic sound, text and photography to give me a way to represent emotion. Combining and layering these processes, allow me to show beauty, anger and sadness in the same piece of work.”
Exhibition curated by Heino Schmid.
Sarah Deppe, working with students at the Lyford Cay School
During her month long residency, Sarah worked alongside Antonius Roberts on a variety of projects from teaching children, working with disabled children, assisting Roberts in his new project with Baha Mar and also adding her touches to the design of Roberts’ new studio. Additionally, she worked on her own sculpture and design projects at Popopstudios, where she was staying during her time in the Bahamas.
Sarah will be leaving the Bahamas on November 30 but plans to return in the new year for a longer residency period when she will continue to work with Antonius Roberts while residing at Popopstudios.
Negative Space: new experimental works by John Cox. Pictures from the opening reception.
Popopstudios Features “Deception“, a Themed Exhibit of Photographic Art by Seventeen Artists from The Bahamas Opening December 8, 2011.
Following last year’s successful fine art photographic exhibition, Popopstudios International Center for the Visual Arts is delighted to announce the opening of “Deception”, an exhibition featuring a new collection of innovative photographic art created by seventeen artists from The Bahamas.
Opening on December 8, the images will remain on view until January 7, 2012. “Deception” is the second annual fine art photographic exhibition at Popopstudios and the first to focus on a central theme.
The exhibition showcases the works of seventeen brilliant visual artists from The Bahamas, each expressing their personal interpretations of the theme “Deception”. All of the photographs, encompassing an array of imaging techniques and visual styles, were taken within the last twelve months and have never been exhibited before.
Each image in the exhibition displays the artist’s own unique style. John Cox, the founder and driving force behind Popostudios, is an established visual artist whose drawings, mixed media pieces and outsized paintings have been featured in numerous exhibitions. John’s images show his ability to move seamlessly between painting and photography. Lyndah Wells’ graphic portraits depict the stereotypical deceptions we are subjected to when viewing images of women. Ash Henderson’s photography shows familiar views of our world through an engaging and undiluted perspective.
In contrast, Jackson Petit explores the concept of masking oneself. Heino Schmid’s images recontextualize the usual, revealing the subject matter as something unusual. Duke Wells, meanwhile, has focused on an intense and graphic interpretation of the show’s theme. His work gives the viewer a dynamic display of color and form which is usually only seen in other mediums.
Other artists contributing to the exhibition are: Jason Bennett, Dede Brown, Steffon Grant, Kendal Hanna, Sabrina Lightbourn, Phoebe Luk, Jeff Major, Kishan Munroe, Holly Parotti, Alistair Stevenson and Lisa Wells.
This exhibition will present for sale a selection of signed and numbered editioned prints from most of the artists.
Several of the photographers will be available for a gallery talk, free and open to the public, on Wednesday, December 14 at 4:00pm in the Popopstudios gallery. They will discuss the process of creating and capturing images as well as the concepts behind their individual works.
“Deception” Opening Reception: Thursday, December 8, 2011 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Exhibition on display until Saturday, January 7, 2012 Popopstudios International Center for The Visual Arts Gallery Hours: 11:00am – 5:00pm, Wednesday through Saturday.
Negative Space, featuring experimental new paintings and objects by John Cox, opens Friday, November 25, 2011 at 6:00pm at Popopstudios.
Homerun by John Cox
Amy Collins, an intern at Popopstudios this past summer, is seeking a home for a sweet-natured, little potcake she has befriended. The dog was hit by a car and run over and has been nursed back to health. If anyone can offer her a good, loving home and make her part of their family forever, please contact Amy Collins at 325-4022 or 376-4866.
Artist John Cox, a judge for the Central Bank's 28th Annual Art Competition addresses the audience at the exhibition's opening.
For decades the Central Bank of the Bahamas has been providing a platform for emerging artists to display their work in their Annual Art Competition and Exhibition, and this year, much of the work on display went beyond still life.
The Central Bank Art Competition and Exhibition in the High School Category recognizes and celebrates the artistic talents of Bahamian youth. This past Wednesday the exhibition opened to the public and the winners were recognized for their outstanding contributions.
Speaking at the event last night, now in its 28th year, Governor of the Central Bank of the Bahamas Wendy Craigg pointed out that the event continues to predict great future artists in the Bahamian community as well as encourage creativity and foster a love of the arts in this emerging generation.
“We know that children benefit from encouragement and support, and what we continue to accomplish through this competition is to nurture our children’s creativity, imagination and innovation and advance their capabilities so that they develop personally and socially and through their artistic impressions, offer insights into our world,”she says.
“From the works displayed here today, we can certainly feel a sense of pride. It seems to be that the level of work is excellent.”
Indeed, one of the official judges, John Cox, said he was encouraged by the level and quality of work on display. Like the governor, he also pointed out that teachers, parents and institutions like the Central Bank deserve to be thanked for their encouragement.
“Artists don’t really come out of a vacuum, artists really come out of a strong fabric of creators and thinkers and people who encourage them and give them proper guidance,” he said.
“The conversations in this work definitely reflect beyond being a competent artist who can make colors and render something to look like something else,” he continued. “Obviously these artists have really internalized their environments and they brought them forward in these mediums, and it’s very encouraging to see that level of visual intelligence.”
The words rang true especially as the winner this year, Kenel Augustin, was part of the National Art & Craft Center under the Department of Education, which provided him with afterschool classes in which to develop his artistic practice.
“I really think the school supported me and helped me with my pieces and confidence and just to express my talent,” he says, thanking especially his teacher Timothy Nottage.
For Augustin, who is in the eleventh grade at C.I. Gibson and hopes to study art after high school, painting is a way to share a message with society. His winning painting, “Bain Town Riot” displays an acute sense of social consciousness.
“I think people aren’t supposed to be fighting and rioting all over the place, so I did this piece to show people that it is not always about violence and causing crime and destructiveness in the world,” he explains.
Second place went to Bobby Telusnord (C.I. Gibson) with his piece “A Good Time” and third place went to Maudeline Alcy (C.I. Gibson) with “Fire in Mackey Yard”.
Honorable mentions were Daniel Morley (Queen’s College) with “Mixed Fantasy”; Krystal Major (C.I. Gibson) with “Amos Ferguson”; and Cameron Johnson (Temple Christian) with “Annabelle’s Straw Shop”.
The Best Young Artist (14 years old and younger) went to Lex Fountain (Mt. Carmel Preparatory) with his piece “Saxing with Sonny Rollins”. The Scholarship Award was given to Alton Joseph (C.R. Walker) for his piece “Untitled”. The Governor General’s Award was given to Kirkwood Deal (Kingsway Academy) with “Who Are We?”.
The exhibition which includes all of the winning pieces, is up until the end of November at The Central Bank of The Bahamas. Hours are 9 a.m. 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Sonia Farmer The Nassau Guardian Arts & Culture Published: Saturday, November 19, 2011
Painter Toby Lunn hosted a successful workshop at the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas (NAGB) on Saturday that brought together students, teachers and art lovers.
The hands-on abstract workshop entitled “In The Likeness” was inspired by the Bahamas’ most prolific abstract artist Kendal Hanna. Participants were exposed to the materials, techniques and process involved in some of Mr Hanna’s best work.
Ashley Knowles, NAGB curatorial assistant, told Tribune Entertainment that Mr Lunn was an appropriate choice for this particular workshop because he knows Mr Hanna personally and artistically. Mr Lunn is considered a fellow abstract expressionist. Over the years, Mr Lunn moved from a “loose realist style to the more fluid abstraction he has become known for today”.
The NAGB turned into a “busy and bustling place”, said coordinators. Mr Hanna himself visited and interacted with workshop participants.
Kendal Hanna's work at the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas. Photo: NAGB
Mr Hanna is known as one of the country’s earliest abstract expressionists. The D’Aguilar Art Foundation noted that Mr Hanna “always dreamed of being trained in art and left for New York City in order to study it.”
The Foundation’s website states that Mr Hanna “came back to look after his ailing mother and never returned to art school.”
A collection of Mr Hanna’s work is featured in the Foundation’s gallery.
Mr Lunn said during the afternoon part of the workshop there were about 32 art teachers. “They all were interested in new techniques to explore different creative methods,” he said.
Mr Lunn is no stranger to the NAGB. Apart from this recent workshop, he has led several other workshops at the gallery.
“The NAGB is an important institution for artists in the country. These kinds of workshops bring awareness in the schools and the local community,” he said.
By Alesha Cadet The Tribune Published: Wednesday, November 16, 2011
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