Coral Encounters

The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands was proud to support the International Year of the Coral Reef initiative by hosting the work of 30 local and international underwater photographers. This stunning collection of images in Coral Encounters offered a unique chance to glimpse one of the world’s most diverse environments and to get up close with some of the species that call it home.

For low lying islands like the Cayman Islands, coral reefs act as vital barriers from storm surges and hurricanes. They support an astonishing variety of marine life —more than a quarter of all marine species globally — and provide food and livelihoods for millions of people. Yet without careful stewardship, these fragile ecosystems are easily threatened. The combination of global changes in ocean temperature, along with local pressures such as pollution and over-fishing, has led to changes that could become irreversible within the next few decades.

Positioned at the crossroads between art and science, this exhibition brought together artists, marine professionals, scientists, curators, and educators to raise awareness about the beauty of, and threats to, our coral reefs. We hoped to inspire conversation, to support ongoing research and management efforts, and to strengthen long-term collaborations for coral reef conservation.

This exhibition was curated by Natalie Urquhart and Simon Tatum. Related programming was made possible due to the generous support of Cayman National.