The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

THE CREATIVE Arts team at Baha Mar has a convoluted yet exciting task; curating three million square feet of the luxury resort’s space with local artwork.

In its fourth meeting at the Baha Mar Academy last week, a general call was made to artists for the submission of portfolios to jump start the process.

The meeting attracted artists from a broad cross-section of disciplines who were eager to submit portfolios and hear of Baha Mar’s plans to establish an ongoing exchange with the creative community.

The resort says it is committed to using art as a major part of guests’ experience.

Royann Dean, Baha Mar’s public relations officer and strategist, said the programme is going well and has received a great response.

“We have had a very great response from the creative community. We have had a full house for every meeting, some people have been coming earlier, because they are very excited about what we are doing,” she said.   “We want all artists to submit portfolios of their work. We want to know where you are, we want to know that you are out there, we want to show the world what you can do, and we want to provide an opportunity for people to do that. So I think we will get a lot of response. I think we will get a lot of submissions, and a lot of quality work because we have a very vibrant visual arts and creative community,” she said.

Portfolios are to be submitted along with six to 10 images of artwork, an artist statement, and information about work experience. The deadline for the submission is February 14 at 6pm.

The team of professionals, led by Bahamian artist John Cox, who has been named the creative arts director of the programme, are excited about what they believe is the beginning of a successful relationship with artists.  

As director of the programme Cox will drive the experience at Baha Mar and oversee the resort’s art gallery, which will showcase the largest collection of Bahamian art in the country. Bahamian art, some of which will be produced in on-site artist studios, will also be featured in public spaces and in the guest rooms.

He said: “I am very excited about the programme because I am fully aware of the dynamic visual arts community in the country, just based on my experience. This is a great opportunity for us to kind of engage and get the best from the scenario which is a mutual win, where Baha Mar wins and the artists wins.

“What we are trying to do is set up the best case scenarios where we can tell great Bahamian stories through art at Baha Mar. A lot of artists here have had this experience of working with the late Jackson Burnside (artist) who said in the year 2020 more people are going to come to the Bahamas for art and culture, and I actually believe in that.”

In the time leading up to Baha Mar’s grand opening in December, the creative arts team has to curate the hotels. The resort’s drive towards forging a relationship with the creative community, stems from a passion for art from Sarkis Izmirlian, Baha Mar’s chairman and chief executive officer.

“The CEO of the hotel wants to have Bahamian art, every moment art can be had in the hotel. How we do this is through a very complex programme. If we all participate and work as a team I think that can happen,” said Mr Cox.

Each of the hotels, The Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, Rosewood, Mondrian and the Grand Hyatt, come with a different platform, history and feeling. The creative team has put together mood boards to give artists a feeling and idea of what each hotel is like.

“For the Baha Mar Casino & Hotel we have come up with extravagant key terms such as surreal, vibrant, high energy and flamboyant. We have a very high end destination which is the Rosewood. It is very classic, elegant and timeless. You can imagine a lot of the very traditional work that operates as the base of the Bahamian visual culture living in this space.

“The Mondrian is a music kind of sensitive space, for people who are really into contemporary art. I think that is a space where they will really feel at home. It is white, neutral, airy, clean. It is a very strong space. The Grand Hyatt feels very aquatic, calm, clean. So we kind of use these terms when we talk to artists so that they can imagine ways in which their work can fit into these kind of themes,” he said.

The hotels will be curated one at a time, Mr Cox said.

There a several opportunities in which the artists can benefit. “We may come up with a team of artists that can work from the top down, or the bottom up, that will kind of fit with the aesthetic and feel of the hotel. We could have, let’s say 25 artists, that may fit the Hyatt, another 25 artists that will fit the Casino & Hotel, 15 that will fit the Rosewood, and 15 that will fit the Mondrian. These artists are the ones we think we can draw from to meet all of the needs and opportunities within that space,” he said.  “There could also be a site specific installation where we can call up an artist and say listen ‘there is a big piece of work that we need produced’.  We will have a conversation and then we start working. The artist walks away with money, and we get the art work that we keep forever. Another opportunity might be, where we go to different artists requesting to reproduce work for the Hyatt. We will create an arrangement with the artist who will allow us to reproduce their work for a price,” he said.

There is also an arrangement for original art pieces to be purchased from artists.

Mr Cox said the art programme will evolve and there will be many more opportunities for artists.