The Tribune

By DONITRA DAVIS

THE painstaking and creative art of the Junkanoo Nymph was on display yesterday at the British Colonial Hilton and Bay Street.

It is the brainchild of Monty Knowles, a Bahamian visual artist, architect and fine arts photographer. As a child growing up in Nassau, Knowles gained an appreciation for the natural beauty of the Bahamas. Photography was always a part of his life, but recently he began body painting.

The Nymph is derived from Greek mythology and is half goddess, half woman. The idea of putting Nymph and Junkanoo together creates a Bahamian celebrity who takes the Bahamian art and culture to the world.

“Junkanoo Nymphs, like all of the other nymph paintings, allow people to appreciate the beauty of the human form as art,” Mr Knowles said. “Junkanoo, in its present state, is primarily about the costumes. The people are simple transportation for the art. The Junkanoo nymphs are an interpretation of these beautiful costumes that allows us to appreciate the inherent beauty of the Junkanoo dancer as a person.”

Analicia Thompson, the Nymph model, took Mr Knowles five to six hours to paint yesterday but it normally takes up to eight. Ms Thompson, 26, was dressed by a Bahamian team of designers, with clothing by Elizabeth Clarke, formal crown by Rochelle Knowles and parade crown by Troy Nixon. Bolerea Glinton and Dot Miller were also involved in the costume, which involved a headpiece, bustier and skirt, made out of coconut bark, sea grapeleaves, Androsia fabric and other native materials.

The Junkanoo Nymph will be one of the features of the Junkanoo Summer Festival, every Saturday in July, at Arawak Cay.