NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The work of over 51 artists is now on display on the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas’ NE10 ‘Mercy’ Exhibition; the pieces were uncovered at a grand opening ceremony Thursday evening on gallery grounds.
Dozens of installations held on every wall within the indoor space various from, displays, to paintings, to photography as viewers flocked the world to look at the Bahamian-themed artwork.
Veteran artist, Antonius Roberts’ piece, ‘Beauty for Ashes’ featured, an audio and video installation together with wood, stones and charcoal from a constructing that he says burnt down beside his studio, but the fireplace didn’t effect his space; in this manner Roberts explains he had experienced mercy.
“There was not a spark, there was not even from the fireplace engine, the water; it was nothing and so for me due to this fact it needed to have been angels and someone had mercy on me” Roberts said.
Roberts highlighted the Bahamian elements his work, explaining that the charred wood was still in tact since it is a robust locally-grown durable pine. He added that the song being played with the exhibit was from an area artist through which the song captures the mood feeling and essence of the art.
“The skin is so dark and charred but once you go just beneath the surface of this charcoal there continues to be amazing beauty; and its just because that is Abaco or Andros pine which implies it endureth without end which implies that its a celebration of our history and I’ve had Symonne Bowe-cartwright who’s a cousin of mine and so I kind of worked along with her to supply the song specifically for this installation” he said.
Digital artist, Scharad Lightbourne adding a less conventional piece to the combo, within the untitled photography which shows a girl shimmering in dark light. He says it represents the preservation of culture through the people.
“…the stories that we have now to inform the things that make us the things that break us and so for me attempting to portray that in a really beautiful and eccentric way but still easy is sort of what I’ve all the time desired to do as a photographer and so that you’ll see despite the fact that what’s obvious in the pictures that are Bahamian colours, the flag colours.
“Its slightly greater than that for me. It symbolizes our people it symbolizes what we’ve been through coming out of a pandemic coming out from hurricane Dorian and all of these items that we appear to constantly bounce from so […] the attractive treasure come from who we’re as a people.
Jodi Minnis’ display ‘Its not mine to carry’ features dozens of the standard ‘Bahama Mama’ glass salt shaker containers standing upright in a bed of salt encased in a yellow plexi glass. The artist says her work is about multiplicity and the way things regenerate over time.
Minnis says because it pertains to the theme, mercy she thought in regards to the lack thereof and the desensitization in our interpersonal relationships and he or she desired to depict the fragility of life.
“Salt is a preserver you cure meat with salt you utilize salt when cooking it like this all present thing […] and so I’m within the act of preserving these salt shakers and this iteration of the work and in order that’s why there’s 100 bottles of Morton salt for the muse of them” Minnis said.
The NAGB Exhibition, NE10 Mercy is freed from charge for Bahamians and open to the general public until January 2, 2023.
Antonius Roberts ‘Beauty for Ashes’
Scharad Lightbourne ‘Untitled’
Jodi Minnis ‘Its not mine to carry’
Antonius Roberts ‘Beauty for Ashes’
Scharad Lightbourne ‘Untitled’
Jodi Minnis ‘Its not mine to carry’
