Arreckly

This group exhibition explored the multi-faceted theme of cultural identity in Cayman, presenting several differing perspectives on notions of belonging, the construction of self, and the emotive associations embedded in an individual’s identification with the place they call home—be it the country of their birth, or in the case of many people in the Cayman Islands, that of an adopted homeland. While confronting issues of race, class, citizenship and the contested boundaries of identity within an increasingly globalised world, Arreckly – Towards a Cultural Identity foregrounded the multiple viewpoints of some of Cayman’s leading contemporary artists, posing the question of what, if anything, constitutes the basis of a universal, common identity. In the words of exhibition curator David Bridgeman, the intention was not only to “push each artist to a new level of self-discovery” but also “to collectively piece together a national cultural identity”—an ongoing project for which Arreckly successfully opened, and advanced, this important conversation.