Aug. 1, 2007 – The Art Show at Alexander's Bella Blu presents "Afro-Caribbean Paintings," an exhibit of original paintings from St. John artist Ziya Neema. The show opens with a meet-the–artist reception with complimentary wine and appetizers from 5-7 p.m., on Friday, Aug. 3, at Alexander's Bella Blu in Frenchtown, St. Thomas.
Neema, born in Tanzania and raised on St. Croix, presents her vibrant imagery of cultural similarities between her birthplace and her home. She draws her inspiration equally from each community portrayed in her latest exhibit celebrating humans interacting in diverse social gatherings such as: a funeral procession, a race riot and a ceremonial Zoroastrian battle.
"My paintings may be experienced on many levels. The naive may simply see a pretty picture, the artistically trained may admire my intense hue structure and curvilinear lines, where as the politically minded might be left pondering for days," said the artist.
One of her paintings, "Diaspora," depicts her feelings and reflections on the migrant worker's plight. In an excerpt from Neema's artist statement on the piece, she reflects, "I like to imagine I understand the plight of the 'migrant worker.' I like to imagine that I am an educated, sympathetic world citizen. I like to imagine that the few books I have read, the handful of lectures attended and the numerous travels to these so called 'alien' lands have in some way prepared me to begin to fathom what their existence entails."
The show is sponsored in part by Wente Wines. All show images are for sale, and the exhibit, which is open to the public, will run through Oct. 3.
For more information contact The Art Show coordinator, Claire Ochoa of Gallery St. Thomas, at 777-6363 or (toll free) 877-797-6363. A show preview will be available on www.ZiyaNeema.com
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