It is a critical period for many artists, working non-stop for one of the biggest art tours on the local calendar.

As plans for this year’s ‘Transforming Spaces’ are set, artists have put their hands to work and galleries are making decisions on how their spaces will be curated for the tour.

The event is in its 10th year, and excitement is building among art enthusiasts for the tour which is set for April 3 to April 6.

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, ‘Transforming Spaces’ 2014 will expand to cover four days with an evening VIP gala opening, a series of talks, a film and video night, and other events to complement the themed exhibitions that will showcase the art explosion that has taken place in the Bahamas in recent years.

Additionally, the ‘Transforming Spaces’ team has invited a group of local and international curators to select the works of participating artists and to personally organise the exhibitions at each of the locations.

The art spaces will premiere their shows on April 3.

Thereafter all exhibitions will be open to the public.

During the tour people are carried on a bus to several galleries on New Providence accompanied by a knowledgeable tour guide who explains the history of each space and previews what the audience will view there. Each gallery (or ‘transformed space’) displays a different exhibition and collection of artists every year.

A call for artists and art work was sent out in September 2013.

Jay Koment, member of the ‘Transforming Spaces’ team told Tribune Arts that since that time over a hundred artists, local and regional, have submitted work for the tour.

“We had an open call for artists, not only in the Bahamas but in the region as well. We will be having work from various Caribbean countries. This year we tried to expand our reach a bit. But most of the work still is going to be Bahamian. We are really trying to reach out and have as many people show their work,” he said.

Participating galleries include D’Aguilar Art Foundation, The National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, PopopStudios, Doongalik Studios, Liquid Courage, Hillside House and The Antiquities Monuments & Museums Corporation.

The theme for ‘Transforming Spaces’ this year is ‘water’ which is intended to identify, provoke and project thoughts on the topic of water and its place in individual and or collective experiences.

Artists are encouraged to investigate, exploit and reveal the possibilities of water and all that its properties have to offer.

“Water can be used literally, figuratively or symbolically to guide individual narratives. In this context it can become, for example, a subject, a metaphor, a material and more. It should manifest itself as the focal point in the creation of a single work/project designed for this event,” he said.

Mr Koment said he believes this year’s ‘Transforming Spaces’, will see a wide range of artwork in traditional and non-traditional media.

“I think this year we will see some more video installations. There are going to be some interesting pieces from what I have seen. So we are going to see a broad spectrum of mediums and ideas from paintings to conceptual pieces,” he said.

Jeffarah Gibson
The Tribune,
Published: Wednesday, January 29, 2014