National Exhibition 10: Mercy

On the cusp of the 50th anniversary of national independence and sovereignty in 2023, the perennial and restorative theme of mercy is a portal to the imagination through which the country may experience art that explores the NE 10 theme through a vibrant constellation of artistic media.

The vision of the exhibition is for participants to approach the theme of mercy through the reciprocal lens and mutuality of the phase, “It blesseth him that gives and him that takes,” which defines the framework.

Mercy is a virtue—a balm, a curative that renews, replenishes, recalibrates, revives, repurposes, relieves, resets, reimagines relationships, institutions, communities and lands.

NE 10 serves as a litmus test of what ‘is’ and ‘could be’ in the context of the many signs, features, currents and hallmarks of the times in which we are living and through which we are moving.

These include, but are not limited to, our collective experience of natural disaster; climate change and ecological concerns; the COVID-19 pandemic; calls for greater restorative justice and criminal justice reform; and the harshness and intemperateness that often marks our daily lives and discourse, including social and other media.

This tenth exhibition is another nationwide opportunity for collaboration with a diverse community of Bahamian artists, creatives and storytellers to reflect on the shared theme of mercy, evoking personal and collective historical experience.

NE 10 is another opportunity to engage in conversation that is inclusive, highly participative, respectful and courageous and a renewed dialogue about how we are shaping our future.

The participating artists include: Melissa Alcena, Gabrielle Banks, Delton Barrett, John Beadle, Jason Bennett, Sue Bennett-Williams, Ian Bethel Bennett, Chantal Bethel, April Bey, Lillian Blades, Dede Brown, Carla Campbell, Cydne Coleby, June Collie, Adrian D’Aguilar, Claudette Dean, Sonia Farmer, Tyrone Ferguson, Kendra Frorup, Guilden Gilbert, Yasmin Glinton, Kendal Hanna, Sue Katz, KEEYA, Jordanna Kelly, Dominique Knowles, Kachelle Knowles, Scharad Lightbourne, Toby Lunn, Brent Malone, Candis Marshall, Jodi Minnis, Lavar Munroe, Holly Parotti, Lynn Parotti, Matthew Rahming, Antonius Roberts, Leanne Russell, Steven Schmid, Heino Schmid, Gio Swaby, Edrin Symonette, Neil Symonette, Keith Thompson, Samantha Treco, Allan Wallace, Angelika Wallace Whitfield, Drew Weech, Jessica Whittingham, Averia Wright, and Lemero Wright.