EARTHWORKS POTTERY

Kaye Hall, the Barbados Museum and Historical Society’s education officer reviews fine art photographer Mario Porchetta’s book

‘Bridgetown Beat’. ……………………………..

“Bridgetown Beat by artist Mario Porchetta, is aesthetically remarkable. His art reveals the city of Bridgetown as a stage by establishing a dialogue between images and actions.”

Offering her review of this publication, BMHS Education Officer, Kaye Hall says “there’s something new to be experienced and gained each time the pages are opened for another intimate look at our living city.”

See what else she has to say about ‘Bridgetown Beat’ which is available for purchase at the Barbados Museum Shop.

For more information or to share your review on this book please contact Kaye Hall at 538-0201 or educate@barbmuse.org.bb

Members of the Board of the Barbados National Art Gallery were pleased to welcome the Minister with Responsibility for Culture in the Prime Minister's Office, Senator Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight, and Permanent Secretary (Culture) Mr. Hughland Allman, to tour the collection in storage, as well as discuss the potential next steps in the development of the Barbados National Art Gallery.

Here the group stands with a recent acquisition to the collection of the Barbados National Art Gallery “Paradise Kings" by Kraig Yearwood (2021).

This work was gifted by Artist Alliance Barbados, and was the recipient of a purchase prize for the Artist Alliance and The Embassy of Argentina in Barbados exhibition “Decoloniastion" (Nov 2021 Jan 2022).

The prize was funded by Adrian Elcock, Dr. Adrian Richards, Liz Riley, Oliver Jordan and Community Action NOW - funded by Jan and Peter Boos

Barbados National Art Gallery Featured Artist

Every other week, we highlight artwork from the Barbados National Art Gallery collection, alphabetically by the artist’s surname.

Arthur Atkinson "Untitled (Abstract)“ c. 1960s

Mixed Media 49.5 x 53cm

This untitled work represents a period of visual experimentation in the early career of Arthur Atkinson. His exploration of forms and media in this piece, some recognizable and some pure strokes of expression, speaks both to the symbolism within Surrealism, and the organic nature of Abstract Expressionism. The work was donated to the collection of the Barbados National Art Gallery by the late Mary Armstrong.

About the Artist

Arthur Atkinson (b. 1945) has lived and worked the majority of his life in Barbados except for five years in Grenada. Primarily working with paint on canvas, Atkinson has also created mix-media abstract works, as well as installation works, and has worked in graphic design and set design, including designing the first four issues of the Caribbean art publication Representing Artists (RA) in 1993-94. Although not undergoing formal tertiary level training, due to a lack of programmes in Barbados at the time, Atkinson did study with some of the island’s established artists, including Goldie Spieler in the 1970s. He has exhibited extensively both locally and internationally, his first exhibition being in 1969 at the Hilton-Banks Gallery, and he has produced over 12 solo exhibitions, including at Zemicon Gallery, Queens Park gallery (2005) and Bridgetown Gallery (2010, 2012), and over five joint exhibitions, including the recent Punch Creative Arena exhibition with Ewan Atkinson, Æ : Arthur and Ewan Atkinson, in 2017. He has also showcased in over 25 group exhibitions and Biennials. In 2008, Atkinson was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Visual Arts and retrospective exhibition in the Barbados Central Bank Grand Salle. In addition to the Barbados National Art Gallery Collection, his work is held in the collection of the U.S Department of State. In an artist statement released for the exhibition Æ : Arthur and Ewan Atkinson, Atkinson stated: “I started exhibiting in 1968 and my subject matter has always been inspired by Barbados and things Bajan. The familiar. My experience. Though my paintings have been representational, they have not always been realistically depicted.”

Sources:

“Acquisitions 2001-2006” Catalogue by Allison Thompson and Therese Hadchity, National Art Gallery Committee, 2006

Barbadian Art Database, BMHS, 1994

“Art in Barbados: What Mirror Image?” Alissandra Cummins, Allison Thompson, Nick Whittle, 1999

“Artist Statement: Arthur Atkinson”, Æ : Arthur and Ewan Atkinson, Punch Creative Arena, 2017

The Barbados National Art Gallery collection.

“Every other week, we highlight artwork from the Barbados National Art Gallery collection, alphabetically by the artist’s surname.

Ewan Atkinson

"To Factory, Re: Storage”

2002

Mixed Media

122 x 143cm

“To: Factory, Re: Storage” is one of several works in Atkinson’s oeuvre that unpacks the role of education on imposing social hierarchies and parameters. The draw by numbers figures and other symbols of learning included in the panels of this work represent the often constricting boundaries of conformity and social acceptability that are imposed on children and that linger in the psyche well into adulthood. By including patterns originally seen in the design of Victorian era wall paper, there is a reference to the industrial era and its imperial focus as impacting the interpretation of these social constructs in a post/colonial Caribbean context. This work was exhibited in Atkinson’s solo show Personality Disorder Machine at Zemicon Gallery in 2002.

About the Artist

Ewan Atkinson was born in Barbados in 1975. He received a BFA from the Atlanta College of Art, and an MA in Cultural Studies at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill. He has exhibited in local regional and international exhibitions, with two solo exhibitions in 2002 and 2007. Notable group exhibitions include Infinite Islands (2007), Rockstone and Bootheel (2009), the 2010 Liverpool Biennial, Wrestling with the Image (2011), the 12th Havana Biennial (2015), Caribbean Queer Visualities (2016 - 2017), 2nd Bienal Del Sur, Venezuela (2018), Arrivants (2019) and Relational Undercurrents (2018 – 2019). Atkinson is an art educator and programme coordinator in the Studio Art BFA programme at the Barbados Community College as well as co-founder of Punch Creative Arena, an independent curatorial initiative. His work has been featured in publications such as Small Axe, Art in the Caribbean: An Introduction, See Me Here: A Survey of Contemporary Self Portraits from the Caribbean, and Island Bodies: Transgressive Sexualities in The Caribbean Imagination. In addition to the Barbados National Art Gallery, Atkinson’s work is in the public collection of the US Department of State. “

- BNAG

Sources:

“Acquisitions 2001-2006” Catalogue by Allison Thompson and Therese Hadchity, National Art Gallery Committee, 2006

Artists Akilah Watts, Alanis Forde and Anna Gibson of A3 Design created a mural on the Lobby Level at Hilton Barbados Resort.

…………………………….

“Hilton Barbados Resort is dedicated to preserving the culture and history of Barbados.

With its stunning mural, created by talented local artists, our resort offers a truly authentic experience.

We recognise the importance ensuring that everyone who stays and visits the resort has an authentic cultural experience. This, coupled with the conceptualization of the mural, ties hand-in-hand with the vision of our General Manager, Jacques Monteil, who fell in love with the culture and beauty of the island. Jacques commented that Barbados has so much to offer with its rich history, culture, and of course, its greatest resource, its people.

Russell Watson of the University of the West Indies, played an integral role in forging a partnership with three talented artists of the A3 Design Studio, named Akilah Watts, Alanis Forde and Anna Gibson, to create the mural on the Lobby Level.

The vision of A3 Design Studio - “offering quality service and artwork to the general public for the purpose of beautifying our communities and preserving our cultural history”. “

Congratulations to Alberta Whittle exhibiting in the UK Friends of the National Museum of Women in The Arts exhibition ‘Women to Watch’ at Christies.

“Absolutely thrilled to be included in @ukfriendsnmwa shortlist of "Women to Watch: New World" with the most incredible cohort of artists

- Alicia Reyes McNamara, Naomie Goudal and Tai Shani. ������

The exhibition opens today @christiesinc until 10th February.

Huge shout outs to the wonderful curators Irene Aristizabal and Virginia Treamor who gathered us together and big thank YOUs to Beth Colcocci, Mary Poelzlbauer and @themoderninstitute for all the support.”

-Alberta Whittle

Katherine Kennedy and Ada Patterson exhibiting in the exhibition ‘Here Comes the Sun’ at The SBC galerie d'art contemporain - Gallery of Contemporary Art.

…………………….

“The SBC galerie d'art contemporain - Gallery of Contemporary Art is pleased to present the exhibition Here Comes the Sun from January 27 to March 18, 2023. The exhibition, curated by Claudia Mattos, traces the origins of extractive tourism in the Caribbean through the eyes of four contemporary artists whose practices examine the colonial legacy of the region's agricultural plantations and service economies. The artists in this exhibition - Irene de Andrés, Katherine Kennedy, Joiri Minaya, and Ada M. Patterson - offer new points of entry into complex histories and struggles centered on the Caribbean imaginary and its commodification.

https://www.sbcgallery.ca/herecomesthesun

The first iteration of the exhibition, which ran from April 22 to August 20, 2022, was curated by Noor Alé for the Art Gallery of Burlington.”

From CAFA

“Join us in Barbados as we return live and in person from March 8 - 12, 2023 at Bagnall’s Point Gallery, Pelican Village Craft Centre, Bridgetown, Barbados. 45 artists and galleries representing 11 Caribbean nations, Ghana, Senegal, UK, and the USA will assemble in Barbados for the 13th Edition of CaFA Fair Barbados. Visit www.cafafair.com for an updated list of our 2023 participating artists, special exhibits, bios, and art images. Follow us on Caribbean.Global for links to live events, panel discussions, and artwork for

From the NCF.

“Several local artisans are honing their skills at our 10-day Master Class Workshops!

On Monday, January 30, the NCF team, led by Andrea Wells, Chief Cultural Officer, and Nyzinga Onifa, Programme Facilitator, welcomed the artisans to the opening of the interactive workshops in crochet and leather craft, taking place at The Bagnall's Point Gallery at Pelican Craft Centre.

Over the 10 days, participants will have the opportunity to fine-tune their skills as they gain additional knowledge and skills from Aliou Sylla, Master Tanner and Leather Maker; Lisle George Forde, Master Leather Maker and Stitcher; and Adama Diouf, Master Crochet Designer.

The leather craft workshop features both Aliou Sylla and Lisle George Forde. Aliou is a Senegalese master tanner, artisan of leather goods, and antique dealer who has over 30 years of experience and combines traditional and inherited generational knowledge and methods with new technologies in his production. While Lisle, a Barbadian, currently based in Los Angeles, has worked as a leather artisan for over 45 years. He takes pride in innovation, excellence in quality, and craftsmanship while paying attention to detail.

Taking the reigns on the crotchet workshop is Adama Diouf, an impeccable Senegalese crochet designer who reinvents crochet into a form of modern creativity by designing patterns and garments based on traditional fibre art techniques.

During the course of the workshops, the trainees will practice and complete a prototype of their own for conversion into the finished leather product.

From the NCF Master Class Workshops.

“Over 50 local artisans have increased their skill levels in leather craft and crochet at our Master Class Workshops

Participants took advantage of the opportunity to interact and learn from the master tutors while enhancing their skills and gaining new techniques to improve their designs and productions in leather craft and crochet. Last Friday at the closing event, the creatives showcased their finished pieces which they created over the 2 weeks.

Strengthening the link between Barbados and Africa, the workshops, spearheaded by Programme Coordinator Nyzinga Onifa were conducted by two Senegalese and one Barbadian master tutors:

Aliou Sylla - Master Tanner and Leather Maker; Adama Diouf - Master Crochet Designer; and Bajan Lisle George Forde - Master Leather Maker and Stitcher.”

Now this is a different vantage view of an art gallery. The exhibition ‘Colours of Barbados’ now on at the Boardwalk on the South Coast. Open 24/7. All artwork and prints are 48” x 48” by many artists who live in Barbados.

Conceived by Mark Hiorns

COLOURS OF BARBADOS Art Show on the Boardwalk The longest show. 350 feet long (and growing as artists add more pieces). The exhibition will run for 18 months. Opened on November 29th, 2022

Organised and hosted by James Edgehill and Mark Hiorns

For more information Tel: 1 (246) 228 0631

Artists participating so far

Adrian Burnett

Andrea Dennison

Anna Didier

Arianna Holligan

Catherine Cummins

Cher Antoinette Corbin

Cindy Walker tbc

Frank Cossey tbc

Heidi Berger

Hilary Arnstrong

Jeena Chatrani

Julia Seymour

Karen Pearson

Kirstie Hiorns

Korea Darnelle

Kristine Dear

Maria Stanford

Mark Hiorns

Micah Rubin

Michelle Bowe

Princess Johnson

Priscilla Richardson

Providence

Reginald Gill

Sian Pampellonne

Yazmin Vizcarrondo

COLOURS OF BARBADOS Art Show on the Boardwalk

Just a few of the images here from opening day. The longest show. 350 feet long (and growing as artists add more pieces). The exhibition will run for 18 months. Opened on November 29th, 2022 Organised and hosted by James Edgehill and Mark Hiorns For more information Tel: 1 (246) 228 0631

Artists participating so far

Adrian Burnett

Andrea Dennison

Anna Didier

Arianna Holligan

Catherine Cummins

Cher Antoinette Corbin

Cindy Walker tbc

Frank Cossey tbc

Heidi Berger

Hilary Arnstrong

Jeena Chatrani

Julia Seymour

Karen Pearson

Kirstie Hiorns

Korea Darnelle

Kristine Dear

Maria Stanford

Mark Hiorns

Micah Rubin

Michelle Bowe

Princess Johnson

Priscilla Richardson

Providence

Reginald Gill

Sian Pampellonne

Yazmin Vizcarrondo