Marc Laurenson: Consumed

Marc Laurenson, or Stoak’d as he is known professionally, has made a name for himself within the Cayman arts scene for his bold, graphic style and use of recycled materials, which he variously fashions into Pop art-inspired celebrity portraits and images of iconic Caymanian subjects. From the likenesses of Jimi Hendrix and Andy Warhol to the Sir Turtle logo composed out of Lego blocks and discarded children’s toys, to the familiar profile of our National Bird, the Cayman Parrot, which the artist illusionistically renders out of hundreds of recycled postage stamps, Stoak’d has put his mark on contemporary visual culture in Cayman while also raising awareness of important environmental issues. Drawing attention to our dependence on single-use plastics and the damage these cause to our natural environment, the artist seeks to inspire the Cayman community to reuse and recycle, showcasing the ways in which the things we casually discard can instead be transformed into works of art. For his first solo exhibition at the National Gallery, Consumed, which is being presented in the NGCI Community Gallery/Dart Auditorium, Laurenson will exhibit recent pieces, many of which were made during the coronavirus lockdown. Extending the artist’s exploration of the iconography of consumer culture, Consumed is also a call to action — asking us as members of the global community to assume greater responsibility for our day-to-day decisions while utilising the inspiration of art as a vehicle for change.