2/10/2010 10:33:00 AM An 'innovative spirit' wins the 2010 Charman Prize
Winners: The centre five people are the Charman Prize winners. From left is Susan Pearson, Sabrina Alexandria-Powell, Sharon Wilson, Scott Stallard and Ami Zanders. Either side of the group are John Charman and curator Kate Waters. Below, left, is Ms Zanders’ Floating Mandalas and, right, the overall Grand Prize-winning entry by Ms Powell, Raw Gombey.
The Grand Prize winner of the Charman Prize 2010 was praised for her innovative spirit and for retaining clear connections to Bermuda's past.
Sabrina Alexandria-Powell's winning piece, Raw Gombey, was a steel welded structure depicting a Gombey mask, a brand new material for the artist.
The teacher at Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation said she was overwhelmed by the win - her first entry into the Charman Prize. She told the Bermuda Sun at the awards ceremony at Masterworks Gallery on Friday: "The heritage of Bermuda inspired my work what we represent and how different we are from the rest of the world.
"The feathers are my favourite part. I love to experiment with new materials and it (steel) was a new material for me. It's realistic in style but with a stylized approach. I'm thinking about doing more of them in different styles"
Ms Powell has other work displayed at the Ace Gallery and she is looking to have another exhibition after the summer. She was educated at Concordia University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, specialising in Art Education with distinctions. She received an Associates Degree in Art and Design from Bermuda College and she has exhibited at the Bermuda College, The Bermuda Society of Arts and at Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation.
The judges said of the artwork: "The winning artwork consists of graceful prosecution and skill in the chosen media. It is a work created in an innovative spirit...it's an artwork with a complete visual language of its own nurtured by the artist and created in a unique style.
"It has typical character of the Masterworks Bermudiana Collection with timely and reflective commentary on a moment in Bermuda's communal and historic memory and that, for future generations will be a reference of this time, a reminder of the Bermuda that we were and the Bermuda that we are to become."
"She has created a sculpture that is both contemporary and has a clear connections with an important aspect of Bermuda's cultural heritage in an elegant and engaging reinterpretation of the Gombey tradition."
The grand winner picked up $10,000 while winners in the other four categories won $2,500.
Intriguing
Scott Stallard's Gorilla Beringei won the Serious Social Intent category. The mural of African scenes examines the connection between the family man and the other creatures with which we share this planet. Judges described it as: "A strong and intriguing work with depth of message with both literal and figurative presentation. Jaime Cedenio, Vaughan Evans and Antoine Hunt were given special mentions in the category.
Sharon Wilson's Washerwoman won the Use of Materials category with its "use of pastel beautifully executed." Given special mentions in this category were Sheilagh Head, Elizabeth Mulderig and Tracy Williams.
Sue Pearson's humourous Circling Space....Discovering One's Place picked up the Distinctive Style prize. Anyone who has trouble finding a parking place in town can relate to this work as she used original parking vouchers carefully fashioned into a chaotic mobile. Special mentions went to Meredith Andrews, Monica Smith Jones and Chris Mahoney.
Ami Zanders' weaving titled Floating Mandalas won the Innovation category with judges saying the piece would "give one something to think about." Special mentions went to Peter Lapsley, Charles Anderson and Trevor Todd.
