An extension of the National Gallery’s (NGCI) Cayman Islands Biennial exhibition – Cross Currents – was formally opened at the Little Cayman Museum (LCM) by HE The Governor Martyn Roper and Mrs Elisabeth Roper, on Friday 15 March. This latest showcase is a continuation of the partnership between NGCI, LCM and the Cayman Islands Legacy Fund (CILF) which enables NGCI to continue their commitment to making art and art education as accessible as possible by travelling exhibitions regularly from Grand Cayman to venues in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Cross Currents replaces the inaugural travelling exhibition,Coral Encounters: Photographs from Our Underwater World, which has now moved to Cayman Brac where it is on display at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort.

The Biennial Project, which is supported by Butterfield, seeks to showcase the very latest developments in the contemporary art scene every two years and is conceived as a multi-venue project in which exhibitions, public art, and programming take place across all three islands simultaneously.

Following an Open Call for participation and a rigorous juried process, 42 local artists were selected for the Grand Cayman element of the exhibition, which opened on 08 February at the National Gallery’s main venue.  Works selected for both sites include a wide variety of media: from painting, photography and video, to collage, textiles and sculpture. A further six artists were selected for the Little Cayman extension and include Davin Ebanks, Kaitlyn Elphinstone, Paige Jordison (emerging artist category), Kathryn Elphinstone, Jeremy Walton, Julie Corsetti and Claire Musser.

Honouring tradition while reinvigorating historical themes, the 40 participants in this year’s Biennial each represent, in their own distinct way, different approaches to the question ‘what is contemporary Caymanian art?’, with the LCM artists specifically addressing environmental and marine themes. Through their innovative use of new media and techniques, as well as their engagement with timely social, political and environmental concerns, the artists in Cross Currentsoffer a window into contemporary art making on these shores.

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with the Little Cayman Museum and to travel an element of Cross Currents to the Sister Islands,” says NGCI Chairperson Mrs Susan Olde, OBE. “This landmark exhibition represents a diverse survey of the best and brightest contemporary artists in Cayman and is a true watershed moment for the islands’ burgeoning art scene. Just as the National Gallery has entered its third decade, this exhibition reflects the growing maturity and sophistication of contemporary art in the Cayman Islands, as well as the crucial role played by NGCI in supporting the arts, both through the institutional platform it provides for creative practitioners to showcase their work, as well as through the ongoing opportunities it offers to both young and established artists to develop their careers, both locally and abroad.”

Speaking about the partnership Director of CILF, Michael Tibbetts, said, “The Little Cayman Museum is pleased to celebrate the ongoing collaboration with the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands, of which Mr. T was also a supporter, to display a rotating series of exhibits from the National Gallery’s collection. The current exhibition is a part of the larger exhibition Cross Currents shown at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. The artwork tells the stories of the artists and their relationship and experiences with the islands, in the past and present.”

Each exhibition is designed with related programming ranging from school tours to workshops, lectures and screenings, along with pop up art classes in Little Cayman. Entry to these programmes and the exhibition will is free of charge. For a full list of the Little Cayman schedule email [email protected] or visit www.nationalgallery.org.ky .