Dear Sir,

Art, being one of the most controversial topics in the world apart from religion, I throw my hat into another contentious ring.

The person choosing the art for the Hamilton Princess seems to be more interested in causing controversy rather than appreciation.

You don’t have to know art to know what is ugly. More is the pity, as beauty never goes out of style. However, I know someone will say “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. And, of course, I rest my case.

However, back to my point. Entering the foyer of the hotel, one is confronted to see a huge green clover leaf in what looks like shiny glass, situated over the fireplace, done, I might add, by a very famous artist.

The very wall and place that begs for something dramatically beautiful, even if it is some glorious piece of old Bermudian driftwood, which through its striations will show its age. The same piece can at Christmas time be decorated to spectacularise the joy of the season and appropriately something Bermudian.

Wandering around the halls, one is struck by the famous artist names, but sadly once again it would appear that we accept the strange, especially ugly and different art when I suspect most of us do not understand this, when it takes us back to our kindergarten days.

As a wonderful example, I attended an exclusive international art show in Hamilton about five years ago. There was a picture there, totally blank, 3ft by 3ft, well framed, for $5,000. When asking the curator about it, he said, “Well, what does it mean to you?” His only comment after that was that someone, according to his past experience, will buy it and use it as a conversational piece. Once again, one is entitled to be speechless.

Thank God we have brilliant dedicated artists here in Bermuda who have constantly exposed us to excitingly beautiful and inspiring art. It would be lovely to see more on our walls or buildings so as to let our visitors appreciate the fact. It is a shame that this does not seem to be perceived more often.

There are new buildings being built. It is to be hoped we will see more of our artists’ work displayed.

DIANA WILLIAMS