Two men anchored in landscapes
Cayman Net News
A new exhibition opened at the National Gallery on Thursday 17 February. ‘Anchored in Landscapes’ explores the ways in which local artists David Bridgeman and Chris Mann look at landscape painting. The exhibition explores the themes of identity, nationality and transformation, through the medium of paintings, collages and drawings.
Since both artists came here from the United Kingdom in the late 1980’s, Anchored in Landscapes is partly an investigation of establishing roots in a new country, and shows the way that somebody from outside the culture will see things differently, and shed new light on familiar things.
Both artists explore the tension between the landscape and the individual within that landscape, and the paintings are an exploration of emotions, feelings and cultural associations landscapes evoke.
“Figures, of myself or other people are pivotal in the interpretation of landscapes,” Mr Bridgeman says, in his Artist’s Statement.
One of Mr B ridgeman’s paintings, “1.1 Mile,” is therefore really a jumbled collection of images that come to mind after thinking about a journey, in this case the 1.1 miles between the artist’s house and his studio in West Bay. There is no spatial sense in the painting, no start or finish, rather, the images seem to revolve, as if the observer is a child looking through a cut glass ornament.
Mr. Bridgeman arrived in The Cayman Islands in 1987 when he came into contact with other artists and felt inspired to begin painting. Since then he has attended workshops by artists such as Bendel Hydes, Jerry Craig from Jamaica and Isaiah Boodhoo from Trinidad, his technique being influenced by each one.
Mr Bridgman often works in oils, but his pictures also incorporate materials such as photocopied newsprint to form exciting and original collages. He also uses monoprint techniques, and develops
several different pictures from one monoprint.
Some of his work has been described as austere and aggressive, and has been likened to the German Expressionists of the 20’s and 30’s.
The exhibition’s other artist, Chris Mann, studied drawing, painting and printmaking at Goldsmith’s College in London, before specializing in ceramics and sculpture. Following college, Mr Mann taught in several schools in London before coming to the Cayman Islands in 1987, where he was appointed head of the Art Department at George Hicks High School.
Mr Mann’s work has been described as “Challenging Prejudice,” and by creating symbols and motifs in his pictures, Mr Mann attempts to represent abstract ideas and emotions.
“Landscapes have always been a fascination for me. When you are in an interesting landscape, you respond to it and feel part of it for a time,” he said in his Artist’s Statement.
“When I make a painting it i s an emotional and physical journey. I am creating a kind of landscape, separate from the image. The act of painting is like a journey across the surface of the canvas.”
Mr Mann and Mr Bridgeman have produced something tangible, their pictures, from something intangible. An anchor is a physical link, and both artists have succeeded in creating an anchor that connects the artist, the landscape, and the emotions that a landscape evokes.