Few things personalise a home more quickly than hanging art on the walls.
As recently as 40 years ago, locally available art was largely dominated by stylised depictions of island landscapes and architecture – and you can still never go wrong with traditional images featuring those pink and turquoise hues that our island is famous for.
Today, however, what constitutes ‘Bermuda art’ is much more diverse, and in some cases a lot more experimental.
Many local collectors favour emerging artists who utilise abstract expressionism to convey political and social messages or push the boundaries of aesthetic conversations by introducing found or industrial materials into their work.
Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art
For more than 30 years, the mission of the Masterworks Foundation has been to discover new creative interpretations of Bermuda and to preserve and display that art for generations to come.
Nestled in the tranquil Botanical Gardens, the museum houses a wide spectrum of creativity, from vintage paintings by visiting artists such as Winslow Homer, Georgia O’Keeffe, Marsden Hartley and Ogden Pleissner, to contemporary pieces produced by gifted locals such as Charles Zuill, Graham Foster and Bill Ming.
“Masterworks was built around a core collection of Bermuda subject matter, including works by renowned international artists that carried no racial, social, economic, political or religious agenda,” said retired Masterworks founder and creative director Tom Butterfield.
“Its role was pure and simple: pleasure, enjoyment, education and awareness.”
Jasmine Lee, curator of contemporary art at Masterworks, said: “Today, we have evolved to the point that we are a cultural hub and are always looking for new ways to interpret our collection.
“We inspire conversation by exploring themes that are relevant to our collection and encourage the expression of creativity in all its forms.”
Building a personal collection
A thoughtfully chosen work of art can transform a living space, adding colour, character and a distinctly Bermudian sense of place – but it can also speak volumes about the person who chose to display the piece.
“We all look at artwork in different ways with different interpretations and enjoy different subject matters but no matter what in my view it must be emotive,” Mr Butterfield said.
Ms Lee said: “Beyond its decorative function, art can have many purposes. It can inspire emotions such as joy or serve as a conversation starter. In that respect, each piece says a lot about the person who has chosen to bring it into their home.”
Attempting to balance personal taste, space, colour and budget while searching for a piece that not only complements your décor but also speaks to you on a deeper level can be a daunting task – unless you view it as a journey of discovery.
“If you are not an established collector, the easiest way to start acquiring Bermuda art is to simply start attending local shows,” Ms Lee said.
“Regardless of whether the show is at Masterworks, or one of the other island galleries, all you need to do is bring your sense of curiosity and see what sort of pieces you are drawn to.
“Once you identify a piece that catches your eye, challenge yourself to consider exactly what you are drawn to. Is it how the colours make you feel, or small details such as the type of medium being used, or the way that the brush strokes are composed?”
Finding a theme in what you love
“Art shows are a great opportunity to talk to artists and learn what interests and inspires their work, allowing you to select what resonates with you personally,” Ms Lee said.
“You might discover that you prefer art that challenges the viewer with a political message, or expansive multimedia pieces that leverage the bold use of abstract colour.”
Sometimes it is simply the thrill of being able to meet each artist personally that binds the pieces in a collection together.
The key is to appreciate that there is no wrong way to collect art for your home, but the more thought and energy you put into your collection, the more you will get out of it over time.
Ms Lee said: “You might even say that choosing art to adorn your living space is a subtle means by which we can each express our own creativity.
“Why did we choose to frame or not frame a particular piece? Why did we choose to group these particular pieces together – and yet leave another piece all on its own?”
Beyond paint and canvas
Collecting Bermuda art is about far more than filling an empty space on the wall or finding a landscape that compliments the tones in a beige sofa. Each piece is an opportunity to carry forward the story of our island, and the artist who created it.
While traditional Bermuda art was frequently created with oil, watercolour or gouache on paper or canvas, today the range of materials and media has expanded considerably and might include any combination of charcoal, acrylic, photography, digital imagery, collage, textiles, pottery, sculpture, wood, wire, welding, concrete, plant material, or found objects.
The range of what you can collect and ‘the why’ – your raison d’être for purchasing each piece and bringing it home – can also be as vast as your imagination.
When you purchase a piece of locally produced art, you don’t just enhance your own life – you support and inspire artists in their personal journeys towards excellence and the island art movement. You also add another chapter to your own evolving journey of creative exploration.
For more information on The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art and upcoming shows visit, www.masterworksbermuda.org
