I have previously written about the flexibility of the recently refurbished galleries at the Bermuda Society of Arts. This usually allows them to host as many as four different exhibitions at any one time, but currently, they have increased that number to five. This gives some idea of just how flexible their new system is. It allows for a greater diversity of exhibitions and helps cater to varying interests in the art community.

In the Edinburgh Gallery, Kelly Hunt is once again showing her large, colourful photographs on canvas. She had a photographic exhibition at the BSoA a year ago, but I was off the Island at the time, so her work is new to me. The major portion of the exhibition is devoted to close-up views of flowers, and although I am aware that they are florals, at the same time they tend to the abstract. Indeed, they often suggest other, natural phenomena. In one case, she has depicted a detail of a poinciana flower, but it can also be seen as a river of molten lava. Actually, she has titled that particular photo, "Lava". Another floral is called, "Blue Flame". It does appear flame-like.

In addition to her florals, Ms Hunt is also showing a series, based on Gombeys, but again, her work stresses the abstract, with emphasis on motion and colour, rather than the details of costume. She appears to be using some kind of high contrast, colour saturated technique that plays of against large areas of white. This does not in any way detract or come across as unfinished, however. On the contrary, the white allows the colours to sing with greater vibrancy. The use of the Gombey is a daring subject, for as I have noted, there are in the Bermudian art world, four visual cliches of note, the pink cottage, the longtail, the moongate and the gombey. In using such subject matter, it is difficult to rise above being perceived as trite, but Ms Hunt has succeeded magnificently.

The principal exhibition, that is, the show taking place in the large Onions Gallery, is a members unjuried theme show on urban art. It has been suggested that most art is urban by nature and it does seem that art is basically for urban audiences, whether the artist lives in a city or otherwise and that allows for just about any possible subject matter. Nevertheless, most of the participants in this show have attempted to express something of the nature of cities.

Of the 46 works in the show, 33 are photographs and I noticed that more than a few depict graffiti. Someone pointed out to me that graffiti art may have run its course and that there seems to be less of it these days. I cannot verify that, but in the city of Chicago, I am told that it is impossible to find a can of spray paint. It has been outlawed, in order to discourage this very art. One artist in the show, Ricardo Maybury is showing photographs of graffiti.

Kok Wan Lee's "The Roof", is a striking abstraction, that might possibly be perceived as the outline of a roof. The composition is divided into two distinct colour areas, orange and black, with a dominant triangular form in black pushing up from the bottom. The brushwork is freely rendered, giving the work a sense of great energy.

The photographs of Kelvin Hastings-Smith are notable for their witty interplay between the subject and title. An example is: "Chain Reaction." In this work, the subject is a man with all kinds of chains tangling from various parts of his body and clothing. Another is "Links". This show a detail of a bicycle secured with a chain to a post. We automatically associate "link" in connection with "cycle" with the chain that drives the bike. In this case, however, it is an altogether different chain.

Jessica Dismont's photographs show aspects of city transport. "No More Waiting" is an example that effectively expresses the sense of speed, as a train enters a subway station.

Kristen Rego uses photography to show another aspect of well designed cities, that of parks, as seen in a work called, "Yellow". This is a close-up of yellow leaves that have fallen on the pavement in Central Park, New York.

I was especially drawn to Gillian Outerbridge's "Shopping". What caught my attention was the unusual composition, but also the naturalness of the scene outside a shop. This work, like most in the show, is a photograph, which made Pamela Darrell's painting exceptional, in that it is actually a painting. A few years ago at any BSoA exhibition, most of the works would have been paintings, but now they are in the minority, at least in this show. Her urban view is that of Hamilton as seen from a car park. In this case, a view from what eventually became "Bulls-Head" car park but from a time before the existence of the car park building. It was then only a flat, paved area, much like the present City Hall car park.

Heidi Cowen is also showing paintings, in this instance, watercolours. I noted that she emphasises a particular subject, such as a fence or a door. Although her paintings are small, this approach is especially effective. Two paintings particularly caught my attention, they are "Garden Entrance, Cashew City" and "10 Angle Street".

Will Collieson is also showing three paintings/drawings and one assemblage. One has the catchy title of "Urban Cowboy".

In Studio A, Sunnell van der Westhuysen's exhibition, "This is Bat Country", contains the first introductory pages from her graphic novel, "The Chronicales of Leonard and Jobe", plus an assortment of other paintings and drawings.

Ms van der Westhuysen is from South Africa and is a graduate of the University of Stellenbosch, with a graduate degree in illustration. It is refreshing when artists from elsewhere become active participants in our art community, for they often bring new and exciting ideas, techniques and skills, as is the case in this present exhibition.

All the work in "This is Bat Country" is hand made, either in ink, gouache or oil paint. Most of the works are small, but are super detailed, meaning Mrs. van der Westhuysen used a small, fine brush and very pointed pens. Underneath her sense of the humorous, some of her illustrations carry profound messages.

In Studio B, Jackie Stevenson is showing works, in a variety of techniques and media. The show is entitled, "New Beginnings". Her technical range includes, photography, pastels, watercolours and gouache. Although Ms. Stevenson is well known in the art community, this is her first solo exhibition in five years, hence the title. I am sure that each visitor to this show, will find works that catch their attention. For me the one that stood out most is a pastel on board, entitled, "Bottle Study".

This is a large work and probably much more than a study. Another work to see is a small watercolour called, "Hooked". It's about fish.

The fifth exhibition in the BSoA line-up of shows, is special, in that it is a multi-art display that includes not only the visual arts, but also dance, music and writing. The show is the result of a contest, sponsored by Cultural Affairs, in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Bermuda. I will, in this review, consider only the visual arts. The contest is called: "400th Anniversary Celebrating Bermuda and Her People". The contest was open to all Bermudians and residents, who had been in Bermuda for at least five years. Each category, that is, visual arts, music, dance etc., was divided into two sections, youth and adult.

Although the contest was well advertised, there were surprisingly few participants. In the visual arts section, there were only eleven contestants, excluding the case of the children from Saltus year 2 and 2, Lower Primary school, who collectively created a quilt. This quilt is the winner of the youth section. The winner of the adult section is Gillian Outerbridge, with Miles Manders coming in second.

The five exhibitions continue through September 2, 2009.