A Review by Charles Zuill

The highlight of the Masterworks Museum's exhibition of recent acquisitions is Frank Stella's 'Bermuda Petrel'.

This work, a large abstract silk-screen print on canvas, is one of a series called the "Exotic Bird Series".

Stella worked this series from 1976 to 1980 and the 'Bermuda Petrel' owned by Masterworks was made in 1979. Interestingly, there is in this series, another, quite different 'Bermuda Petrel' from 1980. Frank Stella is one of the most eminent artists in American modernism.

He first came to prominence in the 1960s, primarily as a colour-field painter, but since then he has investigated a number of different styles and media.

The Exotic Bird Series fits most closely with his investigation of various drafting tools, such as the French-curve or the protractor.

Directly across the gallery from the Frank Stella print, is Graham Foster's Charman Prize winning painting, 'Mechanics of Extinction'.

The comparison is revealing. These two works, of all the Masterworks Museum's recent acquisitions, most relate to each other stylistically. That is not to say, however, that this was in any way intentional. I am sure that it is merely coincidental. They are also of similar size.

Another work of note is Stuart Outerbridge's colourful oil painting of the back of Stuart Hall in St. George's.

I understand that Mr. Outerbridge has occasionally exhibited his art, but until recently, I had no knowledge of this.

I first became aware of his artistic interests, only when he submitted a panoramic view of St. George's from the hill above the old town, to the first Charman prize contest, just over a year ago, nevertheless, it is clear that he has an unusual eye and a good sense of design.

Now back to the painting in this show. The artist has depicted this historic building in a magical light and with highly unusual rows of radiating clouds. The clouds, although unusual, are an essential part of this painting's enchantment.

Kerry Zenti's Polaroid photo of a Bermuda house is also notable, in that she achieves, mostly through the faded colours, typical of old colour photography, an aura of the 1950s. Another photograph that also caught my attention is the pinhole photo of the jungle at Walsingham, taken by Antoine Hunt.

It is unusually subtle and also somewhat faded and sepia, as is typical of old photographs as well.

The recent artist-in-residence, Peter Zokosky's painting of a Bermuda gentleman, is obviously a portrait of Masterworks' director, Tom Butterfield, but it is Mr. Zokosky's ability to take a contemporary subject and with it, emulate the style of the early renaissance, despite, giving hints that it could only have been painted in recent times.

The exhibition continues through June 6.