Bon Appetit
In its oversized depiction of a Bait fish skewered on a fork, Powery’s Pop-art inspired sculpture picks up the recurring motif of commodity objects whose larger-than-life scale emphasises the aesthetic potential latent in the most sundry and commonplace of subjects. Utilising the same vernacular of everyday forms, Powery’s work introduces a powerful social and political commentary into what would otherwise be a purely eye-catching sculptural statement–translating the artistic strategies of Pop art for a Caribbean audience by speaking to environmental concerns within the local fishing industry, and the commodification of Cayman’s natural resources.
About the Artist
Yonier Powery
Yonier Powery Serrano was born on the Isle of Youth, Cuba. Commencing his artistic studies in 1999, he joined the workshop of renowned artist Agustin Villafaña before moving to Wilfredo Lam’s Professional Academy of Visual Arts in the Isle of Youth. There he learned to master a wide range of techniques, from drawing and painting to ceramics and sculpture. A strong theme in the artist’s contemporary style is bridging fantasy and reality, often taking influence from the sea. Moving to Grand Cayman in 2010, Powery has since featured in numerous exhibitions, including solo shows at AwardArt gallery in 2018 and 2020, as well as in the NGCI exhibitions Cross Currents – 1st Cayman Islands Biennial (2019), and Reimagined Futures – 2nd Cayman Islands Biennial (2021).
