Paradise Found, Paradise Lost
The darkening sky and stripped landscape set an ominous tone in this scene. As the title implies, the painting refers to the slow destruction of the Islands’ natural environment by wide-scale urban development in the 1990s. The silver thatch palms — the country’s national tree — appear isolated and fragile, while the skeletal remains of two “caymanes” (caimans), symbolising Caymanian heritage, lie exposed. The narrative is highly poignant and a marked departure for the artist, who is best known for his maritime-inspired paintings.
About the Artist
Miguel Powery
b. 1957
Born in Grand Cayman, Miguel Powery is a self-taught painter and sculptor who carves black coral and semi-precious stones. A founding member of the Native Sons artists collective, he was recognised with a lifetime achievement award from CNCF in 2003 and as a Cultural Heritage Pioneer at the 2014 National Heroes Day ceremony. His work can be found in the permanent collections of NGCI, the Cayman Islands National Museum and the Cayman Islands Government. His work has been featured at NGCI in a solo exhibition (1999) and in numerous group exhibitions, including Native Sons’ Fahive (2005), 21st Century Cayman (2010), Founded upon the Seas (2012), All Access (2015), Native Sons – Twenty Years On (2016), Saltwater in their Veins (2017), and Tropical Visions (2019).
