Exhibition
A current is a moving body of water; a continual stream that flows from one place to another. Its form is circular and not unidirectional, carrying itself and those in its midst effortlessly across time and space. Currents ebb and course, strengthening and dissipating, passing rapidly yet remaining seemingly in place. When meeting they glide past rather than oppose each other, melding into a single body. Much like the passage of water across the open seas, the face of contemporary art in Cayman is constantly shifting, reflecting the interweaving of tradition and contemporaneity that is a defining characteristic of these Islands in the twenty-first century.
Emerging through the complex negotiation of past and present, memory and modernity, the works presented for the 1st Cayman Islands Biennial embraced the diversity and eclecticism of Caymanian culture and society, highlighting the myriad talents of established practitioners, along with emerging voices. If one could discern a pattern among the works featured it would be one of ceaseless movement, a dance-like push and pull that traced a thread of continuity between our collective history as a people and the global present in which we live today.
In their own distinct way, the 42 participants in this Biennial each represented different approaches to the question: “what is contemporary Caymanian art?”, and honoured tradition while reinvigorating historical themes. Through their innovative use of new media and techniques, as well as their engagement with timely social, political, and environmental concerns, the artists in Cross Currents offered us a window into contemporary artmaking on these shores.
About the Cayman Islands Biennial
For the inaugural edition of the Cayman Islands Biennial, the Open Call invitation afforded participants the widest degree of latitude in their creative submissions and a chance to develop new work that was free of formal or aesthetic restraints. The final selection, shortlisted through an internationally juried process, encompassed work in a variety of media: from painting, photography, and video, to collage, drawing, and sculpture, as well as installation pieces, video art, poetry, and performance. Works drawn from traditional arts and crafts, such as textiles, fibre arts, and ceramics, were also included.
Selected artworks were featured in a three-month-long exhibition at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. In addition, a prestigious award was presented to the artist whose work the jury considered to be the exhibition’s most accomplished in terms of technical skill, conceptual strength, and originality. Presented for the first time in 2019, the award was named to honour Caymanian artist Bendel Hydes in recognition of his distinguished 45-year career. This award offered the recipient a significant monetary prize and the opportunity to develop a solo exhibition with the National Gallery. The winning entry was furthermore considered for acquisition for the National Art Collection. Cross Currents also featured an Emerging Artist Award which was presented to the winning artist in the under-30 category, comprising a developmental grant towards a residency programme or relevant training opportunity.
In launching this Biennial, the National Gallery sought to encourage artists to challenge the boundaries of contemporary Caymanian art and to critically engage with their surroundings. Each iteration was an endeavour to showcase the high calibre of work currently practised in the Cayman Islands, and to recognise the very best of Cayman’s artistic talent through a competitive awards process. Through media spotlighting and an extensive education programme of workshops, panel discussions, screenings, and lectures, Cross Currents aimed to spark dialogues between artists, educators as well as the viewing public and to raise, over time, the international profile of the Caymanian art world by encouraging conversations across the Caribbean and beyond.
2019 Bendel Hydes Award Winners and Runner-ups:
- Bendel Hydes Award Winner: Nasaria Suckoo Chollette
- Bendel Hydes Award Runner-up: Sarah McDougall
- Bendel Hydes Award Emerging Artist Winner: Paige Jordison
- Bendel Hydes Award Emerging Artist Runner-up: Brandon Saunders
Thank you to our sponsors:
Featured Artists
Jawara Alleyne, Shane “Dready” Aquârt, Frans De Backer, John Bird, Luelan Bodden, Cameron Bridgeman, David Bridgeman, John Broad, Nasaria Suckoo Chollette, Randy Chollette, Julie Corsetti, Alan Darvill, Bryony Dixon, Al Ebanks, Davin Ebanks, Kathryn Elphinstone, Kaitlyn Elphinstone, Horacio Esteban, Jamie Hahn, Tessa Hansen, Suvi Hayden, Bendel Hydes, Tyra Iton, Paige Jordison, Jason Kennedy, Marc Laurenson, Maureen Lazarus, Rory Mann, Chris Mann, Sarah McDougall, Claire Musser, Pascal Pernix, Yonier Powery, Pippa Ridley, Brandon Saunders, Renate “Ren” Seffer, Gordon Solomon, Scott Swing, Marianna Szekely, Jeremy Walton, Avril Ward, and Marcie Wood.