exhibition ever.

This was the word from BNG director Laura Gorham yesterday, who said around 1,200 people had been drawn to the display, which honoured 150 years of Portuguese settlement in Bermuda, since it opened last October.

Ms Gorham attributed the exhibition's unparallelled success to the way it blended history and culture with art and creativity, forming an "educational experience'' that could be enjoyed equally by adults and younger people.

The work displayed in `A Window on the Azores' was selected by the BNG from several hundred paintings and sculptures by Acorean artists.

The exhibition's conception was in line with the 1993 show `Secrecy', which presented the public with a wide variety of African artwork to feast their eyes on.

Apparently, around a quarter of the visitors to the show were students from the Island's schools, who were able to experience some cross-curiculum work in which they learned not only about the critical processes associated with viewing art, but also about the historical and geographical roots that combined to help in the creation of it.

"The children loved it because this exhibition was particularly good for providing an all-round educational experience,'' Ms Gorham said.

But students were not the only ones to be enriched by the show.

In a discussion session, artists and members of the community presented the BNG with their feedback on how `A Window on the Azores' impacted them.

"The word was that it did impact them and also that they were inspired by what they saw,'' Ms Gorham said.

"It will be interesting to see whether any of the influence of the work rubbed off on any of our local artists when they submit pieces for the next exhibition at the BNG, which opens on March 18,'' she added.

Also, a high large percentage of visitor numbers were made up by tourists.

Their feedback, according to Ms Gorham, was that it was "an impressive, first-class show''.

Asked what Government's reaction to the exhibition was, the director said: "They were thrilled. What they seemed to be particularly pleased about was the educational aspect of the show, the fact that it was a lot more than just an art exhibition.'' Ms Gorham also said the exhibition served as an "eye-opener'' for her.

"I was surprised by just how sophisticated, exciting and inspiring a lot of Acorean art work really was.'' She added that she thought the show had lived up to its name in presenting a literal window by which people outside of the Portuguese community could learn about it and understand it.

MISSING TEENS TURN UP POL Missing teens turn up The two teenaged girls missing from the Brangman Home in Smith's Parish turned up on Monday.

Kris Darrell, 16, and Okeisha Clarke, 14, had been missing since last Saturday.