Yonier Powery

The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands presents Yonier Powery: Unstoppable Steps — the artist’s inaugural solo exhibition at NGCI, which is being held in the Dart Auditorium Community Gallery. Featuring a survey of ceramic works that trace the artist’s personal and creative journey, Powery’s sculptural creations embody his ceaseless quest to challenge himself and ultimately perfect his craft. Expressing a debt of gratitude to his artistic mentors, the exhibition’s title implicitly acknowledges the tireless and unstoppable progress of artists in the Cayman Islands who have greatly influenced his work.

Powery’s prolific output — which ranges from painting and drawing to the ambitiously scaled, intricate ceramic pieces showcased in this exhibition — reflects the artist’s personal biography and the twin influence of his Cuban-Caymanian roots. Born on the Isle of Youth, Cuba, Powery’s formal studies in fine art instilled a sense of discipline and emphasis on the mastery of multiple techniques — a fact reflected in the artist’s proficiency across a variety of different media, and most notably in the technically challenging medium of ceramics.

Drawing on the aesthetic influences that have shaped his unique style — from the rich artistic traditions of Cuba to the broader legacy of European Surrealism across Latin America and the Caribbean — Powery has simultaneously embraced his personal connection to our Islands since moving to Cayman in 2010. Acknowledging the deep ancestral associations that link the artist’s family, and those of many Caymanians, to the Isla de la Juventud (formerly the Isle of Pines), the works in this exhibition explore a fantastical world that is as much a product of Cuba and Cayman’s close cultural and economic ties to the sea as it is to the artist’s fertile imagination. Seeped in nostalgia for the maritime culture that for so long defined our way of life, Powery’s work simultaneously seeks to honour his artistic forebears, as the artist himself attests:

“This exhibit aims to pay tribute to all the art pioneers in the Cayman Islands, such as Bendel Hydes and Miss Lassie, whose work set the path for the development and evolution of an artistic movement throughout our Islands. Inspired by their commitment and passion for the arts, I followed in their footsteps and embraced my creative potential. My motivation derives from the responsibility an artist carries towards society, which fuels my continual urge to create. Each piece has a personal meaning that speaks to my life, my ancestors, my identity, and my  human experiences, while also reflecting what it means to be part of a community.”

Paying homage to the past while leaving his own distinct mark on contemporary visual culture in Cayman, Powery’s ceramic sculptures embody the boundless energy that has propelled the artist and his work forward. Capturing a moment in time along the trajectory of this unfinished journey, Yonier Powery: Unstoppable Steps provides an illuminating window into the artistic imagination of one of Cayman’s foremost artists.