Karaoke Night Is BACK

Back by popular demand The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas is hosting Karaoke Night AGAIN on FRIDAY, September 14th, 2012 AND Friday, September 21st from 8PM to 10PM.

The event is free and open to the public.

Refreshments will be served + drinks will be on sale.

Come and enjoy the 'time of your life'!

For further information please call 328-5800/1

Free Gallery Day for Bahamians

Celebrate Father's Day at our "Free Gallery Day for Bahamians" on Sunday, June 17th, 2012.

Any interested persons are encouraged to attend.

Free Bahamian Day With Special Amos Ferguson Tour

Free Bahamian Day With Special Amos Ferguson Tour 
Sunday, May 27, 2012 3:00 PM
The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas

Since our traditional “Free Bahamian Day” (third Sunday of every month) fell on a day when we were still installing the show, Sunday, May 27th, will be free for Bahamians. At 3 pm there will be a short walking tour through the gallery with visiting scholar, Stephen Savage. Savage's tour will offer further insight into the workings one of our great Bahamian Master painters, including snippets from Savage's own films and interviews with Amos Ferguson.

In the near future, visitors can look forward to Bahamian Outsider's catalogue, which includes an introductory essay by Savage.

Savage is a professional and editorial photographer, artist and educator. He teaches at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. He has edited several books and was awarded the Visual Arts Fellowship in Photography from the Alabama State Council on the Arts in 2001. During the 1994 Smithsonian Folk Life Festival in Washington, D.C., he sought out Amos Ferguson and other artists from The Bahamas. Over the next five years, Savage visited with Ferguson many times to photograph his work and interview him for a definitive history of the man.

Upcoming Events and Workshops

 

Join The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas in an educational celebration of Junkanoo on Saturday, April 21st, 2012.

The NAGB’s Educational Department has created a complete family day where guests can: Participate in the following hands-on activity, create and paste your own Junkanoo piece.

Please RSVP by 4:00 PM Friday, April 16th, 2012.

Date: Saturday, April 21th, 2012
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm

Prices are as follows:
$25 Individual / $20 NAGB Members
$10 for children under 12
$40 Family Ticket (2 adults, 2 kids; or 1 adult, 3 kids)
For further information please call 328-5800/1.

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NAGB FILM SERIES: A Beat Forever: Junkanoo
Produced by: Isabella Astengo
Date: 8:00 pm, Thursday, April 26th, 2012

The film documents, 6 Characters, 6 Bahamians, 6 Junkanoers that takes the viewer on an incredible travel inside Junkanoo. The film follows the characters throughout a full year, discovering their inside passion, which begins with the conceptual idea to the performance on Bay Street. Darren Bastian, Jackson Burnside III, Arlene Nash Ferguson and Shona Wood, from One Family Warriors group; Howard Bethel and Chris Justilien from Colours talks about their passion, their life with and for Junkanoo.

"When I hear the music, the transformation take place, it starts with my head, then goes to my heart, then the cloths come off and then I become a fanatic, A Real Junkanoo Fanatic”, Darren Bastian, One Family’s Chairman Magnus.

The Education Department is excited to screen the film, “A Beat Forever: Junkanoo” because of the contents it offers the viewer. For the first time, the viewer can receive a ‘back stage pass” and go behind the scenes in the Junkanoo shacks, Junkanoo groups meetings, practices, and personal interviews with the individuals that make this event possible. The film also has interviews with Jackson Burnside III who is the star of the current exhibition at the gallery. The viewer will walk away with a complete understanding and appreciation of the Bahamian culture expression, Junkanoo.

Talking Islands: Conversations with Holly Bynoe and Nadia Huggins

Talking Islands: Conversations with Holly Bynoe and Nadia Huggins
Monday, March 26th, 2012 6:30PM.
Holly Bynoe and Nadia Huggins, co-founders of ARC Magazine, will speak at the NAGB at 6:30pm, Monday, March 26, 2012 on the importance of inter-Caribbean dialogue and exchange within the arts and culture communities.

ARC Magazine is a non-profit publication that was launched in January of 2011 and attempts to fill a certain void by offering a critical platform for visual artists to present their work while fostering and developing critical dialogues and opportunities for crucial points of exchange. It is an online social space of interaction with a developed methodology of sharing information about contemporary practices, exhibitions, partnerships, and opportunities that are occurring in the Caribbean region and throughout its Diaspora.

NAGB and Educulture Collaboration

The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, in collaboration with Educulture Junkanoo Museum, now offers School Tours and Hands On Workshops.

Between March 19th and April 27th, The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas will offer a discounted rate on a NAGB Tour along with offering students a hands on Junkanoo pasting workshop with Educulture Junkanoo Museum in a package deal.

Packages include a NAGB 1 hour tour of the exhibition and Educulture Junkanoo Museum 1 hour hands on pasting workshop for a NAGB reduced tour fee of $30.00 per group and Educulture reduced fee of $5.00 per student. Tours may be scheduled Tuesday during the hours of 10:00am –4:00pm, Wednesday and Thursday during the hours of 12:30pm –3:00pm.

Book your school tours by calling The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas at 328-5800/1.

NAGB Film Series: On the Wings of Men (2011)

 

On the Wings of Men. Dir. Calvin Dwight Harris. 2011.

What: NAGB Film Series: On the Wings of Men (2011)
When: Thursday, February 23, 2012 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Where: The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, West and West Hill Streets, Nassau, The Bahamas.

The Education Department of the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas has chosen Bahamian filmmaker Calvin Harris' film “On the Wings of Men” to be the first in a series of films under the current exhibition, “As We Knew Him," One Family’s Tribute to Jackson Burnside III. This film was chosen because it combines Bahamian history and culture which were two of Burnside's greatest passions. This film received strong support from the community, thus earning it the 2011 BIFF Audience Awards: Best Documentary.

This film will look at the life & time of the first ever Prime Minister of the Bahamas; Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, and his fight against US foreign policies in the 1980's [then Presidents Reagan & Bush Administration]. In his successful attempt the help free Nelson Mandela, he found himself in the midst of a conspiracy trail, orchestrated by the CIA, that accused him of ties to the Columbian Cartel [Carlos Rivas Ledher & Pablo Escobar] and for being the conduit [The Bahamas] to America's cocaine problems in the 1980s.

If you have any inquiries about the event, please call 328.5800/1, or drop us a comment on the blog, we'll answer you as soon as possible.

All-star Amateur Artists Night Review

The event was a success. Artworks were sold; amateur and professional artists mingled, classical music filled the air, family, friends and the local community came out to support the gallery and All-star Amateur Artists Night participants. In preparing for the event, there was a lot of behind the scene work and high expectations that needed to be meet. 

It all started with an idea that the Education department had in creating an event for artists to showcase their work within a museum setting. The Education Department wanted to create an event that will appeal to nontraditional gallery visitors and encourage creative production in the art community. With the approval and support from the gallery’s director, staff and board members, the construction of this idea began. 

The call for artwork went out in November of 2011 and received a great deal of enquiries from the public. The gallery specified that the artwork must consist of the following themes that reflect the current exhibition at the time: abstraction and portraiture. The information about this event was all over the web and other media outlets such as the NAGB’s web page, the NAGB’s Mix Media Blog, NAGB’s facebook, NAGB’s twitter, advertised on Bahamas weekly’s website, Bahamas Local’s website, the Nassau Guardian and on NB-12.

After the submission deadline the gallery received over thirty pieces of artwork to be viewed for the event. The curatorial department did an excellent job in selecting artworks that not only fit the themed guideline but also were of gallery standards. The artwork chosen reflected the influence Kendal Hanna has had on the art community and most importantly the emerging artists that the gallery seeks to promote.

The week of the event quickly approached, there was artwork to be collected, easels that had to be re-supported and painted, caterers to be called, quotes demanded and drinks to be supplied. The list continued with the creating and printing of the evening’s programs, lights check, sponsors, donors and volunteers called, invitations created and sent and most importantly the red carpet pulled for the selected artists and of course, Kendal Hanna.

As guests arrived they were greeted and handed the evening’s program along with live music being played by Gray’s Virtuoso Strings. As the music decresendo Jackson Petit, Curatorial Assistant opened the evening, welcoming guests to the closing of Kendal Hanna’s exhibition. Jordia Benjamin, Assistant Education Officer spoke about the importance of the AAA Night and how this event supports continual artistic creation. The NAGB’s Director, Amanda Coulson introduced Mr. Kendal Hanna who then gave his closing remarks on his exhibition. After which the NAGB gallery and the upstairs verandas became officially opened for the evening.

It surely was a great event and evening as artworks were discussed in and out of the galleries, comparing and realising the influence of Kendal Hanna’s work on the amateur artists. Due to the event’s success, the gallery will be hosting an AAA Night at the closing of every NAGB exhibition. Look forward and stay tune.

-JB

Articles in The Guardian about AAA Night:

Catch The Exhilarating 'Happy Birthday' To Me Before It Closes

Amateur Artists Get Their Night

For more information on future AAA Nights please call the gallery at 328-5800/1.

The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas Invites the General Public to an Exhibition Opening

Click the above image for a larger view.

Feel free to contact The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas regarding any questions that you may have. Our number is 328-5800 or email, Ms. Morris at lmorris@nagb.org.bs for further information.

Reminder: The gallery is closed from the 23rd January till 6pm February 3rd, 2012.

Amos Ferguson Match Me If You Can: Photos of the Event

The NAGB staff and Mixed Media would like to wish our viewers a hearty Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and wonderful New Year! Mixed Media has a new posting schedule as of the 5th January 2012 with new posts appearing just once a week on every Thursday. Also, there will be no posts on Tuesday, 27th December and Thursday, 29th December with our first post of the new year appearing on Thursday, 5th January 2012. We hope that our wonderful visitors and guests will continue to support Mixed Media, the gallery and Bahamian art!

Christmas Hours: The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas will be open on Friday, 23rd and Saturday, 24th December. The gallery is closed on Monday, 26th December but open for the rest of the week with normal operating hours! We are also closed on the 2nd January and resume normally on the 3rd January 2012.

Last week Friday, the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas hosted a successful showing of the new film, Amos Ferguson: Match Me If You Can. After the film was a small Q&A session with Amos’ niece, Lorraine Bastian and Director, Karen Arthur. Despite troublesome weather and technical difficulties, the NAGB hosted a successful event with an amazing turnout of over 60 people flocking to see the film! Here are some photos of the event.
Amos’ niece, Lorraine Bastian and Director, Karen Arthur opening the event.


The Director of the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas speaking with Amos' niece.





Guests enjoying discussion and conversation after the film!

Visit the NAGB today, tour the current Happy Birthday To Me: Kendal Hanna Retrospective exhibition, visit our library, our gift shop, the Mixed Media Art Store and eel free to send us a comment or email, we look forward to hearing from you!

Review: Two Workshops, One Day, Two Stars!

This past Saturday the NAGB was a busy and bustling place! From 10 AM to 4 PM the Education department hosted a very successful teachers workshop, complete with an in depth tour of the gallery grounds, a hands-on abstract workshop with Toby Lunn, exhibition tour, finally ended with a round table discussion on strengthening the relationship between the NAGB and teachers. From 10 AM to 1 PM the Curatorial department hosted an abstract painting workshop with Toby Lunn and we were even fortunate enough to have Kendal Hanna himself come and interact with workshop members.

Preparing for the In The Likeness workshop with the Curatorial and Education teams!


In The Likeness: NAGB 2011 Teachers Workshop



In The Likeness: Workshop with Toby Lunn.



Feel free to send us a comment or email, we look forward to hearing from you! Remember to subscribe to our blog to get the latest information on news and activities at the NAGB.

Review: Jackson and Jackson

Beautiful Monsters
Acrylic on Canvas
40in. x 60in.
2011
Collection of the Central Bank of The Bahamas
Image courtesy of the Central Bank of The Bahamas
The NAGB staff would like to offer our very own, Jackson Petit-Homme, a hearty congratulations for winning the 28th Central Bank Competition! His winning piece, based on the larger theme of "So So Beautiful", explores the dark and light side of beauty and how they complement each other. Congratulations Jackson! We are so happy for you and look forward to your upcoming solo exhibition!

This past week also saw the successful execution of the first film in the NAGB Film Series. Entitled, Pollock, this film explores the pioneering style of the American abstract expressionist artist, Jackson Pollock.

Here are photos from the event!






Look forward to our next film, My Kid Could Paint That, on October 28th at 7PM and feel free to send us a comment or email, we look forward to hearing from you!