Exhibition
As we honour the passing of Cayman’s preeminent artist and the forefather of Caymanian contemporary art, the late Bendel Hydes (1952-2024), the National Gallery is proud to present Circumnavigating the Globe. Arguably Bendel Hydes’ greatest singular achievement, the series consists of twelve monumental canvases that employ the conceptual premise of a metaphorical journey around the world, which Hydes describes as a reference to the extensive maritime travels of his Caymanian forefathers and his own spiritual journey.
Epic not only in scale but also in thematic and pictorial complexity, each of the paintings represents one of the twelve 30-degree segments of longitude. Beginning at 90-60 Degrees West—the meridians that locate both the Cayman Islands and the artist’s adopted home city of New York—the series subsequently travels eastward in the direction of the earth’s rotation.
Characterised by the subtle addition of multiple diluted layers of oil paint, the series represents the pinnacle of Hydes’ technique of ‘luminescent abstraction,’ honed over many years. The canvases appear to glow with the complex rhythms of light and colour, intended to evoke in abstract form the movement of ocean currents and the dance of sunlight across the water’s surface.
In celebration of Bendel’s profound artistic legacy, we invite you to voyage with us through this captivating body of work, which represents the culmination of a lifetime’s creative journey.