January 2009 Artist of the Month

Graham Foster...

This section of the mural that is represented on the Janualy Cover of This Week encompasses the late 1920s through the 30s. The large pink building is a combination of the two major hotels at the time: the Hamilton Princess (1885) and the Hamilton Hotel. The Hamilton Princess was named after Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Louise who visited the island in 1883. This was a significant, much publicized event at the time and catalyzed Bermuda’s fledging tourism industry. The Hamilton Hotel was located on the present site of the City Hall car park, which burnt down in the 50s. It had an imposing entrance incorporating rows of columns, which I combined with parts of the Princess Hotel. I didn’t want to paint too many hotels, so decided to make one rather big one as a central focal point for the largest wall in the space. If I did another mural, I’d depict more hotels. Above the hotel is the Shelley Bay racetrack located where the cricket grounds are now. Here horse races were held, often attracting crowds of 4000. This track was discontinued in the 50s. To the left of the track is a typical black schoolhouse based on the one opposite White’s supermarket. On the left are Easter lilies, once a major export, that are being harvested for shipment to the United States- the trade was significantly smaller in the 30s than at the turn of the century. On the right of the track is an early PWD truck and prisoners raking gaol rocks. The prison was located where the General Post Office is today. Every day the prisoners would be marched into the courtyard where they’d have to smash up Walsingham limestone boulders into small pebbles. These gaol rocks would be used to surface roads around the island. Apparently each prisoner had to produce two bushels of nuts a day. Discipline was tough with some prisoners receiving the cat-o-nine tails on arrival and departure. This punishment was still used in the 50s. Only emergency services and public works were allowed automobiles; this continued until the end of World War II, when the public was allowed private cars. Looming above the truck are the Cathedral and House of Parliament with the State House and Cenotaph below. I’ve distorted most buildings throughout the mural to gel with the overall surreal look plus give them more impact. The Bermuda Militia Artillery, an all black regiment, is marching; the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps was for whites only.      At the very bottom a man is blowing a conch shell. This was to tell the neighbourhood he has fish for sale. The fish would be kept alive in a well in the bottom of the boat or in a wheelbarrow the fish would be covered by a wet burlap sack and wheeled around. At the top is an Imperial Airways seaplane. This was the precursor to British Airways and moored at Darrell’s Island. To the right is the Watford swing bridge with a whale being towed through. Gunny Astwood harpooned the last whale in the 40s.