It was a gloomy, rainy afternoon. It was the type of weather that made me want to go straight home after work and binge on Netflix or reread my favorite book. Instead I found myself following my curiosity deeper into the City and venturing to the very top of City Hall and into the BSoA. Unsure of what I would find, I found my artist senses tingling with excitement. The combination of the words, Things Unspoken, carries so much weight, particularly when it comes to our tiny Island community. In fact, it can be said that those words are a dead on description of our culture and climate. So many issues are swept under the rug and blatantly ignored, becoming the elephant in the room.
As I approached the entrance to the exhibit, I wondered what I would find, what issues would be addressed and how those issues were translated by artistic expression. Once inside, I was certainly not disappointed. A wide range of topics were covered, including slavery in Bermuda, violence against women, and homelessness. There were paintings, videos, spoken word, photography, installations, and performance art.
Experiencing this exhibit put me in a thoughtful place. I thought not only of each specific issue that was addressed but also what this exhibit means for art in Bermuda and its role in activism. Bermuda has a long tradition of “pretty art”. Art, that like our social climate, seeks to beautifully highlight the most amazing parts of us. Art, that while respectable in its own right, fails to look at the not so pretty parts of us. The parts of us that need to be addressed and discussed because although they aren’t as pleasing they must be resolved in order for our community to experience meaningful growth. This is why there has been a need for artists who are also activists. Artists who dare to travel beyond arts for art’s sake and use art for their communities sake. Viewing this exhibition made me think that we have found such artists.
You can view Things Unspoken at the BSoA (top level, City Hall) until June 28th. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 10am-4pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm.
As I approached the entrance to the exhibit, I wondered what I would find, what issues would be addressed and how those issues were translated by artistic expression. Once inside, I was certainly not disappointed. A wide range of topics were covered, including slavery in Bermuda, violence against women, and homelessness. There were paintings, videos, spoken word, photography, installations, and performance art.
Experiencing this exhibit put me in a thoughtful place. I thought not only of each specific issue that was addressed but also what this exhibit means for art in Bermuda and its role in activism. Bermuda has a long tradition of “pretty art”. Art, that like our social climate, seeks to beautifully highlight the most amazing parts of us. Art, that while respectable in its own right, fails to look at the not so pretty parts of us. The parts of us that need to be addressed and discussed because although they aren’t as pleasing they must be resolved in order for our community to experience meaningful growth. This is why there has been a need for artists who are also activists. Artists who dare to travel beyond arts for art’s sake and use art for their communities sake. Viewing this exhibition made me think that we have found such artists.
You can view Things Unspoken at the BSoA (top level, City Hall) until June 28th. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 10am-4pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm.