Faithful, as always, to their mission of according newer artists exposure in Bermuda's rapidly burgeoning art community, the Arts Centre at Dockyard is currently displaying another intriguing show. This time, there are just three young artists, all of whom specialise in figurative art. This, in itself, is worthy of note, since the majority of painters working here at the moment seem to turn to the Island's landscape for artistic inspiration.

There is a slight disappointment in that Jason Semos, currently away at university and potentially one of the most gifted artists to emerge in recent years, is represented by work already shown (and reviewed) elsewhere. However, the opportunity to see a collection, albeit a small one, of his output confirms his rare sense of draughtsmanship and unusually strong compositional and painterly qualities. "An Artist's Studio,'' a large painting depicting a girl cradling her head in her knees, her long hair falling across the canvas, typifies the compelling strength of his work. It stands the acid test of repeat viewings, as does his portrait of blue-overalled Sandra, a contemporary rendition of the ancient art of portraiture which, with this expertise, reassures it a place in today's volatile art scene.

Jennifer Stobo, a graduate of the Boston Museum School, has achieved quite a reputation for her figurative drawings, especially nude studies of which there are several in this show. She achieves a satisfying sense of movement in her sparely drawn charcoal figures. In Resting Figure and Lying Female Study she is venturing into a world of richer, often glowing colours of golds and burnished pinks. While there is some doubt that oils are her strongest medium, she still maintains that marvellous fluidity of line and aura of intimacy which has always distinguished her work.

Henry Ward, the recipient of a sophisticated art education from Harrow School, the Chelsea College of Art and most recently at Goldsmith's College in London is, at least in this show, the most intriguing of the three artists. As he himself explains in an accompanying blurb, his paintings embrace both classical and modern traditions, where naturalistic images are imbued with a sense of the distortions of dimensionality.

The result are some striking pieces of work, notably a large nude study of a Rastafarian. Besides its obvious shock value, probably strong enough to send little old ladies and sterner moral guardians to rush off for the smelling salts, this painting indicates an arresting sense of composition and colour tones. Technically, there are still some problems.

Two studies of a dancer, entitled Resolved and Unresolved, are superbly realised, a flooding of light on her face contrasting the first, with the darker, mysterious withdrawal of the second.

The talking-piece of the exhibition is his huge portrait of Emma and David, two of the guardian angels of the Dockyard Centre and both fine artists.

Through an audacious use of foreshortening technique (which gives us enormous feet and tiny heads) he has created a portrait which first repels and then, frankly, grows on you. There is great humour here and an assumption that the Emma figure is the go-getter while David is the `thinker'. A vibrant use of colour and fluidity of brush work makes this the memorable work in a memorable show.

PATRICIA CALNAN.

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