Every two years The National Art Gallery of the Bahamas holds a national juried exhibition. A call for works is sent out and artists sumit work which is then viewed by a jury which then selects pieces from those submitted to be a part of the exhibition. This year marked the 5th national exhibition referred to as NE5. NE5 had as it’s theme The Carbon Footprint: Bahamian Artists’ 21st Century Response to the Environment.
Grand Bahama Artists at NE5
I decided that I would paint my piece on styrofoam which I designed with a built in frame and had manufactured. I used oil to paint the image and decorated the frame with sea glass.
In an effort to catapult bahamian art into the international arena, the gallery invited 2 world renowned artists, Janine Antoni and Alfredo Jaar, along with Director of Gasworks UK, Alessio Antoniolli, to be a part of the jury that judged submissions. 38 pieces were submitted and 23 were selected. My piece "Non-Biodegradable" was one of those chosen.
Non-Biodegradable
I decided that I would paint my piece on styrofoam which I designed with a built in frame and had manufactured. I used oil to paint the image and decorated the frame with sea glass.
This painting, “Non-Biodegradable” spoke to the issue of ego versus spirit in relation to how man has negatively impacted the environment through behavior that is rooted in ego. The lotus representing spirit is unaffected and has grown strong and beautiful through the murky water. The figure is obviously desolate, desperate and even ashamed as he clings to a last piece of styrofoam with no more land in existence.
The use of sea glass and styrofoam indicate that the artist makes something beautiful out of something ugly as does nature. Both spirit and art are non-biodegradable.
NE5 is available for viewing at the NAGB until January 2011.
Click on the button below to listen to Claudette's audio from the NE5 digital catalogue, speaking about her participation in this exhibit.
