MBIA’s Waving Art Gallery Continues to Soar
By Asher Mains
On January 19th, the Waving Art Gallery at the Maurice Bishop International Airport changed its rotating exhibit from Godfrey Luke’s figurative sculptures made from found materials to a group show showing the work of Art School Greenz students. Called “Assemblage and Stencils”, the work in the gallery shows the product of 13 artists who had taken either the Assemblage class with LaVanda Mireles and Rene Froehlich or the Intro to Stencils class with Asher Mains. Student work sometimes conjures imagery of artwork that is “coming to come” or in some way not quite complete. A better way to describe the work currently being exhibited is that it is the work of 13 artists who have been activated by artistic community. Lacking nothing, the work on display is a testament to the dormant abilities of people walking amongst us and the potential energy of objects and material that we have all around us.
(Pictured left, stencil work by Asher Mains, Right, stencil work by Tamika Gilbert)
The opening of the exhibit was a buzz of activity in the gallery with remarks made by Lenworth Gordon, representing the Grenada Airport Authority as well as Susan Mains representing the Grenada Arts Council. We are seeing more and more not only spaces being activated for art but our artists in Grenada are expanding beyond traditional mediums and embracing the rich and plentiful resources we have at our disposal. LaVanda Mireles says about her assemblage students, “The students from both Introduction to Assemblage and Assemblage Sculpture embraced the challenges and ambiguity of creating original art. The high caliber of their work is a result of the students’ commitment, honest critique, and support of one another. I am proud of each student for their dedication to the class and I am inspired by their meaningful and thoughtful creations.” Asher Mains, director of Art School Greenz and teacher of the Intro to Stencils class says about Art School Greenz, “What we do at Art School Greenz isn’t magic but there are times it feels like it. We take creative people and the things around us along with some instruction and community and out comes conscious artists and wonderful pieces of art!”
(Pictured in foreground, piece by Tamika Gilbert)
The partnership between the Grenada Airport Authority and Grenada Arts Council has resulted in the showing of dozens of artists across multiple exhibits in the last year. While the art is raising the community profile for the airport the airport is providing a much needed service to the art community and public – a place to show work in a non-commercial environment. This exhibit, following on from Godfrey Luke’s exhibit is continuing to impress upon the public that art in Grenada does not need to follow the rules set by more established art scenes. Asher Mains, in talking about Godfrey Luke’s work and continuing with “Assemblage and Stencils” says, “In Grenada we are rich in resources for art. In art we look for a good concept with good execution; in Grenada we have fantastic materials and we have good stories – that’s all we need.” The Waving Art Gallery continues to soar as an a new and alternative art exhibit space in Grenada. The current exhibit will be up until March 8th. Please help support the Waving Art Gallery by liking it on facebook and using the hashtag #wavingartgallery when you visit!
See a more complete photo gallery at http://www.wavingartgallery.wordpress.com!
(Pictured, assemblage piece by Philippa Stokes)
ART SCHOOL GREENZ 