On tonight’s show we examine two projects that aim to tell the Bahamian story from a different perspective.
First we meet portrait photographer Scharad Lightbourne who is launching “I AM WE.”, a campaign comprised of creative portraits of diverse Bahamian people, based on their background culture and life experiences. His aim is to reveal our diversity in every manner, including a range of professions, gender and race, to showcase the incredible scope and escape the single-story narrative as promoted through tourism. So far, the photographer has captured Loretta Butler-Turner, Candia Dames, Terrence Gilbert (Khingkloud) and Willis Knowles and will be capturing 30 more persons very soon after an open public call, which has garnered over 300 suggestions. More information can be found at www.theiamweseries.com.
We also welcome back former show host, John Cox, now the Creative Arts Director at Baha Mar, which is unveiling a wide-ranging new exhibition in the Baha Mar Convention Centre entitled “Fairwind” on Independence Day. The aim of this show is also to tell our story from different perspectives, covering periods of history not normally touched on in tourist-designated establishments. It hopes to educate conventioneers on our complex society, which extends far beyond sun, sand and sea. He also speaks to the 4,500 Bahamian Baha Mar staff members who are able to engage with a broad range of original Bahamian artwork on a daily basis and the educational porgrammes offered exclusively for them. “Fairwind” opens on July 10th at 5:30 p.m.
Blank Canvas airs every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on 96.9 FM.