Male nudes explore reflection of self

A new exhibition opens this Friday, exploring reflection through a series of paintings of male nudes overlooking a sky background. While the show may raise a few eyebrows among Bermuda’s more conservative circles, artist Alan C Smith says that subtlety will make the nudity easier to take for the squeamish’. The show, titled Sky Gazer, comprises manipulated digital photographic images. It opens at Masterworks on Friday from 5:30pm to 7pm.

Why did you go for this theme?

When I was looking for what would be my next large visual art project, my best friend said, “Why don’t you do something with the sky?”.  I had done my Sea Within series previously, which was comprised of faces of friends and acquaintances rendered using photographs of the sea. A self-portrait from that series is the cover image for Bermuda National Gallery: An Introduction. I liked my friend’s idea (Dr. Kim Dismont Robinson, who has also written a poem in reaction to one of the pieces which will be on display with the work) and decided that bodies, instead of faces, would be the approach for the sky gazer series. 

Is this similar to anything you have done before?

I like to work with Bermudiana in my work, although not always the obvious examples. To me the Bermuda sky is rather distinctive and ever evolving. I have worked with nude images and silhouettes in some of my past series. This series is about reflection, both in the mirror and memory sense, so it touches on themes that I have explored before — interior reflected in exterior and the other way around.    

What medium/programmes have you used?

I work with digital photography in Photoshop and an obsolete, ancient Microsoft programme called Photodraw.    

We’ve had fully nude females in a show before – is Bermuda ready for full male nudes?

Good question. Of course, I don’t actually care if Bermuda is ready. I try to have a pure and fearless approach to my art, both visual and written work — I am also a poet/writer.  I must admit to being anxious about how people would react to the work but it is what I am currently moved to do.  A few of the nudes are highly manipulated and deconstructed, so that they feel almost abstract. Some are full frontal nudes. I am a subtle artist, sometimes detrimentally so. I think that subtlety will make the nudity easier to take for the squeamish.  But I could be completely wrong. 

What do you hope the exhibition will gain/teach people?

I hope that people will appreciate my point of view and find a uniqueness in it that may inspire or challenge. 

Where have you exhibited previously? 

I have had work accepted  in every Bermuda National Gallery biennial since 2006.  I enter work in the TechArt show each year.  Last year I won People’s Choice and Best Adult Digital Video, also won the prize for video the year before.  I won the $2500.00 prize for Distinctive and Convincing Style in the 2012 Charman Prize Competition.  I have shown in various group shows.  “sky gazer” is my first solo show.      

Do you take inspiration from other artists?

I don’t necessarily take inspiration from other artists but there are a number of local artists whom I respect and revere.  I feel honoured to be showing work with some of these artists and I crush on their talent.  I have most admiration for artists who either have strengths that I lack or points of view that are foreign to me.  Above all I am drawn to artists who are pure and relatively uncompromising in their expression.