Shanda Gallego (Cayman Compass) writes about the exhibition “Conversations with Popular Art,” which opened on May 23, and will remain on view until the end of August. [Many thanks to Veerle Poupeye for providing information and additional photos.]
The work of self-taught artists, often referred to as ‘intuitives’, from the Cayman Islands will be in the spotlight for the National Museum’s latest exhibition, ‘Conversations with Popular Art,’ which opens on 23 May, as part of Cayman Art Week.
Alongside artists who draw on popular idioms and traditions in their practice, museum officials said, “The exhibition will also explore themes of cultural identity, community, and belonging, while also interrogating the lines between art and craft, and the role of tourism in shaping Caymanian visual culture.”
The Cayman Islands National Museum’s curatorial team, which consists of Megan Arch, Al Ebanks, Brian Watler Jr. and Veerle Poupeye, told the Cayman Compass, “With this exhibition, we hope to shed light on the creatives who have shaped the Caymanian art scene through their quiet, yet meaningful contributions.” The team added, “In participation with the widespread popularity of Cayman Art Week, we hope the opening will attract a broad audience, both familiar and new, inviting them to explore and reflect on these lesser-known artistic voices and creative impulses.”
The exhibition features works in a variety of media, such as paintings on conventional and unconventional surfaces, drawings, carvings, thatch and other textile work, ceramics and mixed-media objects.
Art anchored in Caymanian heritage
The self-taught artists represented in the exhibition include celebrated names such as Gladwyn K. ‘Miss Lassie’ Bush and Harvey Ebanks, as well as less-known names like Edney McLean and anonymous artists whose names were not recorded. Their work is exhibited along with that of mainstream artists like Charles Long and Virginia Foster, whose work interprets popular forms.
Foster told the Compass, “I am delighted because the subjects of all of my creations have been anchored in Caymanian heritage, whether it was in ceramic art or whether it was in the silver thatch fashion collection.” [. . .]
Most of the works of art in the exhibition are from the Cayman Islands National Museum collection, including the Ira Thompson Collection and the Virginia Foster Collection, supplemented by loans from the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands and the Cayman National Cultural Foundation. [. . .]
For full article, see https://www.caymancompass.com/2025/05/23/national-museum-features-caymans-intuitive-artists/
Shanda Gallego (Cayman Compass) writes about the exhibition “Conversations with Popular Art,” which opened on May 23, and will remain on view until the end of August. [Many thanks to Veerle Poupeye for providing information and additional photos.] The work of self-taught artists, often referred to as ‘intuitives’, from the Cayman Islands will be in the
