The Tribune

KISHAN Munroe, the acclaimed Bahamian visual artist and the youngest artist to mount a solo exhibition at the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, is the winner of this year’s prestigious Bridget Jones Award for Caribbean Studies for his multi-disciplinary artistic work, “Swan Song of the Flamingo”.

The artwork depicts the sinking of HMBS Flamingo of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force fleet on May 10, 1980 by Cuban fighter jets. With the aid of a number of talented Bahamian artists like Cleophas Adderley, Joann Callender, Lee Callender, Sonia Farmer, Gavin McKinney, Patricia Glinton Meicholas, Obediah Michael Smith, and Cuban dancers such as Eduardo Blanco, Amaya Rodriquez, Mr Munroe was able to bring the project to life after three years of incentive work with the nations and individuals involved in the tragedy.

“Swan Song of the Flamingo” offers an objective analysis of the tragic event of 1980, locating it within the context of a United States and Cuban relationship and offering an insight into the cultural and historical connections between Cuba and The Bahamas. The goal of this award-winning work was to improve the relationship between the government and citizens of these three nations.

Mr Munroe was presented with the award during the 39th annual conference of the Society for Caribbean Studies (SCS) held on July 1-3 at Drum, University of Glasgow and Drum in Birmingham, UK.

The award, established in honour of the late Bridget Jones, a renowned scholar and supporter of the SCS, is presented annually to an artist practitioner living and working in the Caribbean. Established in 1977, the SCS brings together scholars from the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and the Caribbean who present the latest research, from a variety of disciplines, on the Caribbean and its diasporas across all linguistic regions. The goal of the SCS is to encourage and disseminate research and educate the public about the Caribbean and its diaspora.

One of the highlights of the SCS conference is the Bridget Jones Awardee Presentation which was delivered this year by Mr Munroe, who joins other distinguished Bridget Jones Award winners from Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Guyana, Barbados and Haiti, entitled “The Sinking of HMBS Flamingo: From Relegation to Reconciliation”.

In his presentation, Mr Munroe brought to light the significant impact that art, artistic expressions and the artist are having on the community in the arena of social commentary. He said that the work of art “truly evidences the profound ability of artistic ventures to exist on a much more substantial social level; a departure from the expected perception of being mere superficial mark-making.”

He added that his “… well-calculated executions…continue to advance public awareness of the relevancy of… historic happenings (like the attack on HMBS Flamingo) and their affect on contemporary political relationships worldwide. An extensive educational campaign has also been initiated to educate the public on both historic and artistic cultures.”

Almost five years since the commencement of this epic artistic intervention endeavour Mr Munroe’s “Swan Song of the Flamingo” project continues to demand great respect and appreciation within The Bahamas as well as internationally.