Aubrey Artworks will present “Expansion and BEcoming,” a pop-up art show Friday, from 5 – 9 p.m. at the St. John School of the Arts in Cruz Bay.
Aubrey “AC” Burgess, the event’s producer, said the theme of the show is transformation.
“I’m always expanding and considering where I’m going,” he said.
Burgess said when he first started planning the show, his main motivation was to bring forward the artwork of three young West Indian males – Siyandi Matthias, Jermaine Alexander, and Tyreke Lamar Morten.
But soon, he was drawn to works of other artists, and in the spirit of expansion, he has decided to include paintings, drawings and multi-media artwork by 13 other artists who live in the Virgin Islands.
The first of the three young male artists is Matthias, a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design who grew up on St. Thomas. “Siyandi did the ‘commercial’ for this show, which I love,” Burgess said.
Burgess is featuring Matthias’ animation and graphic work.
Alexander, the second of the three young West Indian artists, is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design who spent some of his early years in Coral Bay. “Jermaine has a love of nature, and he is also a farmer who grows food on Bordeaux, St. Thomas,” said Burgess.
Burgess admires Alexander’s unique viewpoint. “We’ve seen a thousand-and-one paintings of windmills down here, but in Jermaine’s painting, he places himself in the center, looking up, so you can see the details of the rockwork.”
The third young male artist is Morten who attended high school on St. John and now lives in Atlanta. “I see him as the next Basquiat,” said Burgess, referring to the Puerto Rican/Haitian American artist who became famous in the 1980s for his neo-expressionist paintings and graffiti art. “Morten’s works are social statements of how we relate to one another.”
Burgess is also featuring the work of three young white male artists whose families have roots on St. John. “Andrew Barlas Jr. does very abstract, highly professional drawing,” said Burgess, while T.J. Schutt “works in pen and ink, watercolor, and digital art. And Tommy Gibney does stellar photography.”
The show also includes color abstract paintings by Theodora Moorehead, acrylic paintings by Augustin Holder, multi-media collages by Kim Lyons, work in three mediums by Viki Brown, beaded rhinestone designs by well-known tattoo artist Patricia Mazza, acrylic paintings by Amy St. John, pottery by Sara Lee Hayes, infrared photography and stained glass by Jared Shomo, and the “intuitive” painting by Chad Hoover.
Artist Porschia Denning will be painting live at the event.
Music will be provided by With Love from Broheem. Proceeds from a cash bar will help support the St. John School of the Arts.
Burgess is also planning a pop-up show May 23 at Wharfside Village and a pre-carnival show at the Refinery in June.
