The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

FOR the second consecutive year an Abaco artist took home the Jackson Burnside Emerging Visual Artist showcase during Fash|Art 2013. Zyandric Jones, an Abaco native won for his intriguing submission of Three Sisters: Prelude to Tragedy.

The art showcase was held on the first night of Fash|Art, the fashion and art event highlighting emerging talent.

The participants who vied for the Jackson Burnside Emerging Visual Artist award included Eulys Smith, Shawn Hanna, Lauren Glinton, Katherine Rolle, Dominique Delancey and John Damas.

Zyandric’s winning piece follows the story of a romantic tragedy in Exuma folklore.

“On a stormy night a boat pulls up in the Exuma harbour sailed by an English captain. The three sisters fall in love with the captain and as the boat leaves the harbour the sisters seeing this jump into the raging waters and drown. The two pieces are based on this legend,” he told Tribune Arts.

Last year’s Jackson Burnside Emerging Visual Artist winner was Hope Town artist Atillia Feszt, who was afforded the opportunity showcase his work at Doongalik Studios and Art Gallery. Doongalik is the creation of cultural icon, painter and architect Jackson Burnside.

“[Atillia] told me that I would have a good chance of winning the event. Another friend told me that I should build myself up and get out there so that more and more persons can get to see my work.

“I was not expecting to win. But I was confident that I did my best because I put a lot of work into my pieces. I definitely think the experience and the exposure was a wonderful one. I got the opportunity to meet tons of talented young people who are making a mark in the fashion and in the art world,” he said.

The walls of Jacaranda House was plastered with intriguing art ranging from art on canvas, photography, craft work and more. Some art work promoted awareness of safe sex practices and HIV/AIDS. Dominique Delancy’s piece Deception was simultaneously “sexy and serious” in its handling of HIV awareness.

“I did that to make people aware of the HIV virus. We live in a community where sex is so strong and it sells but it can also kill if you do not protect yourself. The piece is encouraging people to protect themselves so I did it in a sexy way and in a somewhat dark humorous way to bring attention to how dangerous unprotected sex can be,” he said.

Dominique’s second piece called Woman fuses her two loves as an artist: hair styling and art. Encouraging and uplifting words are spelled out with a woman’s hair.  

“I designed the piece to empower women to be confident strong, everything a black woman is. The Proverbs 31 woman was what really inspired the piece. I like to make women feel empowered. And I am also a hairstylist so that was why I used hair, because women are so into their looks. The words in the hair spell out confident, vibrant, purpose driven, intelligent, ambitious, and I wanted women to feel that when they looked at that piece,” she said.

Shawn Hanna who dropped out of the competition last year, entered to establish business contacts and expose himself and his work. He submitted several intriguing photographs, one that also highlighted HIV/AIDS.

“I have four pieces and one represents HIV because for the show all of the artists had to feature an HIV piece. I was thinking about a girl hidden from the world and once you have contracted the disease you feel like you do not belong. In the piece the woman’s face is hidden. For the other pieces I just wanted them to have an Afro-centric feel which is why all of the women have turbans on their heads,” he said.

Jackson Burnisde is an inspiration to emerging artist John Damas, which is why he submitted a portrait of the Bahamian cultural icon.

“He is the father of culture and he is an inspiration to me,” said John.

The other piece I submitted is about insecurity in women. Some of them are beautiful on the outside but on the inside they do not know who they are. All of my work has a story behind it that relates to what people everyday from different walks of life have experienced,” he said.