A retrospective art exhibition is usually reserved for those who have spent many years making art. The fact that Trevor Todd is having one after only three years is highly unusual, but as was suggested in another newspaper article, he is so new at being an artist, he was, when offered the exhibition, uncertain as to what retrospective actually meant.

Since this term, "retrospective" means looking back, it is, I suppose, possible to do that after only three years, or even three months, for that matter, so calling this current Bermuda Arts Centre show a retrospective, while unorthodox, is not technically incorrect. I am wondering, however, what purpose is served, to the artist first, of course and then to the general public, by calling it such.

What is interesting, however, is being able to see what has transpired in this artist's development, since he first broke on the art scene, with his Masterworks show, just three years ago. At that time, his art was a response to an encounter with the Australian Aboriginal people. As I remember, he was in Australia representing Bermuda in an athletic event and this experience happened while on that visit. His artistic response to that meeting was a powerful one, but the resulting creations, while influenced by the experience, was in no way a slavish copying of Aboriginal art. His art, at that time, it seems to me, was an authentic personal response, that was coupled with a direct, skillful use of his artistic means.

Since then Todd, as indicated by his current show, has been investigating other aspects of art. His recent paintings have been all over the map, stylistically speaking, but this is not unusual or unexpected. For anyone new at art, it seems necessary to investigate in a practical way, all kinds of artistic modes. This is one way of learning and growing. Eventually, however, artists do find their own authentic voices and I look forward to the day when Trevor Todd finds his.

Actually, I would not be surprised, when it does happens, that it is rooted in his initial artistic response, as was seen in that first Masterworks show. This Aboriginal meeting, it seems was an important catalyst in his becoming an artist in the first place.

In this current show, there are yet, a couple pieces from that initial exhibition and this, I find highly revealing, for his early work still comes across as his strongest.

In addition to these early pieces, however, he is showing a series called 'Child's Play'. Although he apparently was playing around with art, which is an important activity in the creative process, I might add, it appears that this activity was more a conscious one than most child art.

Maybe by that title, he is suggesting something else; that this was something easy.

Whatever his intentions, this work does not make the same deep impact, his initial creations did.

There are, however, a few, other pieces in the show, that are almost as forceful as his Australian inspired work. I am thinking of a series of burlap masks that he made as his expression of the repugnance of slavery. One in particular stands out. It is simply titled, 'Freedom???'. These creations reveal a considerable artistic and technical skill.

I am curious about the title of this exhibition. In previous exhibitions, Todd has used the term, cosmic consciousness and in the title of this current show, "cosmic" crops up yet again and I wonder about his intentions are in using it.

On the face of it, it seems somewhat contrived, but as I understand it, this kind of consciousness, is something he gained through his Australian Aboriginal experience. After all, those people are reported to have incredible abilities in cosmic sensitivity. That being the case, it is probably something that underlies his rationale for making art and if that is so, it is therefore an important consideration in his work.

The exhibition continues through August 28.