Complementary

Complementary, the joint exhibition by siblings Nahshon and Shanna Hollis, opened late last month at the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art, and showcases two highly creative artists with distinctly different approaches to their work.

It was interesting to see the different artistic direction each sibling has developed over the years. The gallery itself was bisected, with the work of one sibling running along one wall and half of the back of the gallery, while the other sibling’s work occupied the remaining half of the space, reinforcing the contrast between their different artistic styles.

Nahshon’s work tends to be much more realistic, with a naturalistic quality and an impressive level of detail. An artist from the age of two, with his first exhibition being held at the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art at the age of twelve, the pieces on display showcased his development as an artist. His focus on portraiture and the meticulous execution of his pieces in oil were particularly striking however a few works - such as Defiance, Monstera and Eileen’s Roses - departed somewhat from his more realistic approach. These pieces had a flatter, more two-dimensional and highly colourful quality that brought them visually closer to his sister Shanna’s work although still rendered in oil.

Shanna, by contrast, took a more graphic, pop-art-inspired approach with her digital illustrations, making extensive use of bright colours and traditional Bermudian symbols. Her work was bold and playful, while still drawing heavily on familiar imagery and iconography from the island.

Of particular note was her Happy Bermudiana series which featured Bermudiana flowers coupled with the iconic smiley-face in a variety of forms, including prints and painted resin sculptures.

The cheerful colours and playful imagery gavethe series an immediate sense of optimism and fun which sits in contrast to some of the more serious themes that were explored including references to Bermuda’s history of slavery and the island’s high road traffic fatality statistics. The juxtaposition of the happy, welcoming demeanour for which Bermudians are often complimented can hide a troubled, more complex reality and these pieces aim to show that. This part of the exhibition also included a poem by their cousin Yesha Townsend. Entitled the happy Bermudiana (a quatern), Yesha was invited by Shanna to contribute through the written word with the aim of adding depth to her work.

Shanna also developed a series that to our eye reimagined traditional Bermuda holiday posters from the 1950s and 1960s, a period when tourism was at its height on the island. These works offered a contemporary take on the imagery associated with the island’s tourism heritage.

Overall, the exhibition was a welcome opportunity to see two very different artistic perspectives presented together. Although their styles are quite distinct, there are occasional points of visual crossover, and it is particularly interesting to see how each sibling has developed their own distinctive visual language over the years.

The exhibition continues until 3 October.