Island Finds
Bahamian artist Kachelle Knowles makes colorful messages about real life in the islands.
Bahamian artist Kachelle Knowles makes colorful messages about real life in the islands.
WHEN YOU THINK OF BAHAMIAN ART, what comes to mind? Is it watercolors of curvaceous beaches, swaying palm trees, and jolly market vendors with bountiful baskets of fruit propped between their legs? If it is, think again. A new crop of creatives is turning those sundrenched stereotypes upside down, producing work that’s unexpected and provocative as well as pleasing to the senses. One of these modern mavericks is Kachelle Knowles, a 27-year-old multimedia artist whose visually arresting work we encountered at the Nassau art gallery The Current. Read on for a glimpse at her artistic inspiration and creative process.
Illustrating Identity:
I’m a contemporary artist with a focus on identity and cultural and social relations within the black Caribbean community. I majored in illustration at Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver, Canada, and in 2011, I was invited to participate in a Nassau exhibition, Transforming Spaces. It was the first time I exhibited work that wasn’t school- related, and sharing space with established artists was an honor — and a bit overwhelming!
Island Inspiration:
Bahamian culture is a big subject matter in my work because there’s so much to be discussed. [I believe that] artists are historians, archiving moments that a lot of us are failing to record. My work is inspired by the lack of dialogue within our society and the need to understand our Caribbean world a bit better.
From Mind To Made:
I am a painfully meticulous creator, and there may be weeks of brainstorming before I even begin to put pencil to paper. I usually pre-plan my entire concept, from testing different media (I work with thread, ink, decorative paper, gouache, watercolor, graphite, charcoal, pastels, colored pencils, and markers) to creating multiple sketches and making a miniature replica of the piece. This process can take a week or it can take months, but naming the work is always the final step.
The Takeaway:
I hope my work encourages people to think more critically, and I want the issues I raise in my work to be a catalyst for conversation and not just lost on the walls of a gallery. Whether or not they enjoy my work visually, I want people to develop an appreciation of the value of Bahamian culture.
Ups and Downs:
Meeting new people is probably the most rewarding part of being an artist. It’s an opportunity to learn new things about your craft and yourself that can be wonderfully surprising. On the other hand, the lack of appreciation for the arts in the Caribbean can be a challenge. Living in a country where the economy thrives off tourism creates a stereotypical definition of Bahamian art, which many of us [artists] are striving to reinvent.
Forward Thinking:
My next goal is a solo exhibition of my new work, which has been two years in the making. In addition to figurative illustrations, I’m hoping to include objects and wearables, which connect the audience as a living figure into some of pieces. This year has been full of new experiences, of being reintroduced to art forms such as sewing and of working with new materials. So I’m really excited to incorporate what I’ve learned into my practice. Kachelleknowles.com