Black Mangrove
Cayman’s rapidly diminishing mangrove wetlands serve as the subject for Babbity Barwick’s delicately rendered ceramic sculptures, which explore patterns and textures inspired by the natural environment. Manipulating the clay through the addition of found materials, supplemented by the skilful use of various pit-firing techniques, Barwick’s tri-coloured palette symbolically references the red, black and white mangrove species found in our Islands, commenting upon the perilous fate of these threatened ecosystems through the fragility of her sculptural forms.
About the Artist
Babbity Barwick
Babbity Barwick moved from Uganda to Northern Ireland in her childhood and gained a BA in graphic design at Central Saint Martins in 1982. She worked in London at various brand agencies and at the BBC before moving to the Cayman Islands in 1987. As a principal and designer of branding agency BB&P, she worked extensively in the Cayman Islands and the wider Caribbean region on many multi-element campaigns and brands. Retiring as a graphic designer in 2019 Barwick subsequently returned to fine art, practicing mainly in ceramics, film, and photography. Through her chosen media, she explores patterns, textures, light, and colour to develop new perspectives on her subject of interest. Her work was recently featured at the National Gallery in Conversations with the Past in the Present Tense: 3rd Cayman Islands Biennial (2023) – for which she received a special commendation in the Bendel Hydes Award category – and is held in NGCI’s permanent collection.
