Good show, but difficult to get to see
.
There are two artists working in Bermuda today whose infectiously humorous work is almost guaranteed to lighten and brighten your day. The less frequently seen of these is Elizabeth Mulderig. At the ACE gallery in the ACE Building on Woodbourne Avenue.
Ms Mulderig is showing a collection of 41 miniatures, none larger than 3" x 3". Bring your reading glasses.
Ms Mulderig is of Irish descent and traditional Irish whimsy is her specialty though there isn't a leprechaun in sight, but the show is full of chuckles brought on in part by the paintings themselves and in part by the clever hanging.
Many of the works refer back to another one some dozen or so works before in the left to right sequence. The paintings are so small that it is impossible to stand back and take in the show at large and it makes sense to follow the catalogue from left to right.
Works as small as these very often are accompanied by a tight style of painting; this is not the case with Ms Mulderig?s work though I imagine the hairs in her brushes must be easily countable.
It would be tedious to attempt to describe the works themselves and words would fail to convey the whimsical humour. The show aptly starts with "Happy Boats", seen in this paper a few days ago and one of the most delightful in the show. It is made even more appealing later in the show by being revisited in "Brolly Boats". "Eyebrow" turns up later as "Raised Eyebrow"; "The Book of Natural Arches" recurs twice, the third time in a doubled backward reference to "Timber".
Tennis balls, oddly transmogrified, repeat themselves, as do dislocated skies. Clouds are tacked to their blue sky background or are rearranged on sails.
Dislocation, in fact, is the unifying whimsy of the show. Smiles become boats; water lilies are Easter lilies at the beach the canvas on an easel supplies the only colour against its background black and white; a slice from an orange becomes a crescent moon; longtails double as kites; an onion directs traffic from the birdcage; flamingos have trees as legs and a cat sits in their shade.
These fascinating and entertaining works would make ideal stocking presents for the affluent for Christmas.
They are perfectly attuned to the season while never directly addressing it.
The only downside to this entirely delightful show is the ACE Gallery itself. ACE has become infected with American paranoia and one must sign in and sign out before and after visiting the gallery.
When I returned at noon the day after the opening to do my review I found the gallery locked after passing through their security measures and so consumed some ten minutes before getting to the first painting.
With art galleries in Hamilton in such desperately short supply the generosity of companies such as Ace in providing gallery space is to be applauded. It could be made a little easier for the public to enjoy.