Watermarks
Press Release
The National Gallery opened a new exhibition this week dedicated to the art of watercolour. ‘Watermarks’ features the work of the Islands’ most renowned watercolourists, artists who contributed to the introduction of the medium in the Islands and those who have continued to preserve its legacy, including Joanne Sibley, Janet Walker and Debbie van der Bol.
For many, watercolour has become synonymous with the early development of the visual arts in the Cayman Islands. Although difficult to execute with precision watercolour has been a popular medium in the Cayman Islands for decades as, once mastered, it perfectly captures the vibrant surroundings of the Caymanian landscape. Many artists found the medium to be well-suited to the tropical environment, allowing them to capture these natural scenes quickly and on-site at a variety of locations.
The Gallery has never hosted a watercolour exhibition as it was formed at a time as many artists were exploring other mediums. Watermarks – an acknowledgement of the importance of watercolour in the development of the arts in the Cayman Islands – brings attention to the need to preserve and celebrate this historic medium.
Many precious watercolours from private and public collections were destroyed during Hurricane Ivan and with them some of our visual heritage. Through this exhibition we hope to create a collection that will document the work of the artists that helped secure the popularity of this medium – a collection that will serve as a powerful reminder of Cayman’s natural beauty and of all that art can give us in a world struggling to rebuild itself.
It is NGCI’s intent to secure local companies and individuals to sponsor individual paintings, which collectively will form a National Watercolour Collection held in trust for the people of the Cayman Islands by the Gallery.