{"id":20551,"date":"2012-04-14T17:16:27","date_gmt":"2012-04-14T21:16:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/?p=20551"},"modified":"2012-04-18T10:23:17","modified_gmt":"2012-04-18T14:23:17","slug":"cob-students-protest-through-art-exhibition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/2012\/04\/cob-students-protest-through-art-exhibition","title":{"rendered":"COB Students Protest Through Art Exhibition"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Art by Charlthorn Strachan. TNG photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Color of Harmony, a display of visual and musical talent from students in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at the College of The Bahamas, has always been a grand fete. Patrons attend a program of vocal and instrumental talent under the patronage of the Governor General His Excellency Sir Arthur and Lady Foulkes, and then view beautiful paintings, mixed media and ceramic work by art majors during a following reception.<\/p>\n

Patrons expecting the usual display of colorful work downstairs however instead came upon a coup of sorts by the COB art majors\u2019 paintings and unglazed ceramics in various shades of grey, conveying their collective shades of anger, grief, accusation, disappointment, betrayal and distress over what they believe has been a systematic denial of their rights to necessary space and equipment.<\/p>\n

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Art by Stephen Catalano. Photo: June Collie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One pieces blares in black paint \u201cWithout art there is no music, history, creativity, art design, culture, you\u201d; another places a stop sign over \u201cdreams of a future artist\u201d; another displays a 404 error message, \u201cThe artwork you requested cannot be viewed\u201d; and still another, made up of text from the vision of the college, declares, \u201cThe vision is blind.\u201d Art majors stood in the space dressed in black, ready to express their reasons for the decision to anyone wishing to ask.<\/p>\n

Many may argue, like the administration taken aback by the display, that the prestigious annual show was not the right time for such a protest. But it\u2019s no secret that the art students at COB have been struggling for some time with an administration they believe has stripped them of necessities. Last year after a botched meeting between students and the last acting President, Dean and Chair led to a full-out protest on the streets \u2013 which they say improved little.<\/p>\n

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Art by Steven Schmid: TNG photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019ve reached out enough and protested enough,\u201d said art major Steven Schmid. \u201cThe administration here seems interested in a very short amount of time \u2013 they\u2019ll pat us on the back and then we get swept underneath the rug in a week. This is pretty much the last resort. It\u2019s a public event and we knew they would invite people here, and we just really needed to have our voice be heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, despite their efforts to hold conversations with the administration and the president, the students say they saw no improvement and in fact experienced more hardships.<\/p>\n

One of the most major concerns reflecting in the show and which the students would like to see rectified is the lack of space. The 60 students take five classes in one room divided by a makeshift wall, creating T20a and T20b.<\/p>\n

They used to have another room that was recently given to architecture and engineering students, which the art students say is hardly ever used besides their one class per week. Meanwhile, also stripped of their lockers, the art students continued to work and take classes in one room made to be two, causing a catastrophe of space for both in-class and out-of-class work.<\/p>\n

In fact, the loss of that second room was the straw that broke the camel\u2019s back and led to the decision by all art majors to stage a protest that would once and for all get the attention of the COB administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a group decision,\u201d explained art major Veronica Dorsett. \u201cWe thought we\u2019d have black canvases and not give them what they want. There was a room taken from us and I think there was this hope that we would get it back and when we found out that we weren\u2019t getting it back, we decided to show them that this is problem and they don\u2019t recognize it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been pushing critiques and final assignments back because we don\u2019t have the facilities to finish our work,\u201d she pointed out. \u201cPeople want to come to events like Color of Harmony and see finished products but they don\u2019t understand the struggle that it is to be able to get to that point. I think this show represents that struggle that we have to go through, and I think people may not want to hear it, but I think it will leave a mark in their minds \u2013 they will not forget this one.\u201d<\/p>\n

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"Without ART, EARTH is just EH" by Jade Ferguson. TNG photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Indeed, the lack of functioning facilities compounds the problem of space \u2013 out of six kilns, say the students, only one works reliably. In fact, they point out that one of their instructors has given up on asking the administration to fix at least a second kiln, going out on her own to find someone who can repair it so students can have more of a chance at finishing their assignments.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately for a lot of us it\u2019s not that we don\u2019t have the talent to go off and pursue higher degrees in art, we just don\u2019t have the funds,\u201d said art major Cydne Coleby. \u201cSo I believe that just because we don\u2019t have $50,000 to spend on our education per year, that we have to be subjected to mediocre facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have one kiln for two classes. We have to do painting assignments in the ceramics room,\u201d she continued. \u201cWe have to do printmaking on dirty tables and move friends over who also have assignments to do. There is only space for one student to do their printmaking assignment at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Such treatment, they say, is unacceptable \u2013 and quite rightly so. Art as a major requires specific equipment and space. Unlike other majors who can take their reading home or into a (sparkling new) library, art majors cannot complete printmaking assignments in their kitchen or buy their own personal kilns or splatter paint across their floors. They need space to work and space in which to store the huge amount of equipment artists possess for their practices. Such equipment is expensive, so it cannot be stored in rooms that are shared or cannot lock \u2013 to say nothing of their own in-process or final pieces.<\/p>\n

Art majors in many schools are not only given adequate space for classes, but even personal studios within which to develop their artistic practice during a vital time in their artistic development. Not having the space or proper equipment to finish their basic assignments \u2013 let alone explore additional artistic work outside of class \u2013 is highly detrimental to their creativity and the creative health of the college. It is absolutely ridiculous that during a time when The College of The Bahamas is seeking university status, a segment of their student body is being mistreated and ignored in the way they say they are.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is ridiculous that we have to work in these conditions,\u201d said art major Imani Moss. \u201cI just want them to hear what we have to say about our space. Give us something to work with. Stop treating us like we aren\u2019t here. It feels like they never listen to us unless we protest \u2013 why do we have to protest for them to hear us? That bothers me. I hope they hear us now and make it better for those of us who are here and the future art majors coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Considering, also, the rich history of the space with instructors like Stan Burnside and Denis Knight under the watchful eye of Dr. Keva Bethel, turning out students who have helped to define the current landscape of Bahamian art and culture \u2013 Erica James, John Beadle, Clive Stewart, Dionne Benjamin-Smith, Joylon Smith, Neko Meicholas, to name only a small sampling \u2013 such current conditions signal great distress in how we as a society \u2013 in our very governments and scholarly institutions \u2013 value our rich heritage of art and culture. These student artists are distressed, and rightfully so, over their treatment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think honestly they don\u2019t consider us to be a career choice,\u201d said art major Amy Collins. \u201cI think anything different from the norm is something to be frowned upon in Bahamian society. They think art is too free and it isn\u2019t a career choice, isn\u2019t something that will get you anywhere in life, it\u2019s just a hobby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope people understand we do have struggle in this college. Art is very undervalued and overlooked,\u201d she continued. \u201cWe don\u2019t have what we need. We\u2019ve been accused of some of this not being true, but if it weren\u2019t true, why would we stage this show, why would we mention it? We\u2019ve been fighting this issue ever since I\u2019ve been here and it hasn\u2019t changed.\u201d<\/p>\n