New exhibition Art of Fashion to open at the National Gallery of Cayman Islands

(Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, August 16, 2018)—National Gallery of Cayman Islands (NGCI)
announced today that a new exhibition Art of Fashion will open with a Members’ Preview on 24 August and will be on view until 28 November (preceded by NGCI’s Annual Costume Gala).

Curated by NGCI Director Natalie Urquhart with assistance from Simon Tatum, Art of Fashion is an examination of the worlds of art and fashion in which have simultaneously co-existed and collided, with the boundaries between the two disciplines blurred.

This spirit of creative collaboration features collections by Caymanian fashion designers Isy B and Jawara Alleyne. Commissioned by NGCI to respond to their permanent collection, the designers have been given free rein to interpret the artistic history of the Cayman Islands, from early intuitive art by Gladwyn “Miss Lassie” Bush and Charles Long, through to the emergence of the Native Sons, and on to the critically engaged contemporary art that is being practiced today.

“Each designer has approached the challenge from a unique viewpoint using color and pattern, shape and volume, draping, and embellishments to reinterpret some of the most iconic artworks in the island’s history”, explains Urquhart. “The resulting collections act as both a celebration of the two disciplines, while representing how art and fashion can harmoniously inform one another”.

“Butterfield is proud to partner with the National Gallery on their new exhibition Art of Fashion and to
support these two talent Caymanian designers. We believe that through active community involvement
we can make a positive difference in our society and are committed to continue supporting the
development of the arts in the Cayman Islands. We hope as many people as possible will have a chance
to see this exhibition.” Michael McWatt, Managing Director, Cayman Islands

This exhibition seeks to support the growing fashion industry in the Cayman Islands and to illustrate how the National Art Collection continues to inspire the creative process. Accordingly, an extensive exhibition programme has been developed and includes lectures, panels discussions, workshops, school tours and family events. Entrance to the exhibition and related programming is free of charge due to the generous support of Butterfield. For a full programme visit nationalgallery.org.ky/whats-on/ or call (345) 945 8111.

IMAGE:
Photo caption: (Left) In One Basket by Isy B, photo by Jeremey Walton; (Right) Sons of Sons by Jawara Alleyne

Artist’s Bio

Designer Isy Obi is the Founder of Isy B., the award-winning fashion brand from the Cayman Islands. Isy B. was recently named one of the “Caribbean brands to watch” by the Caribbean Journal and since its launch in 2015, the brand has garnered an impressive list of successes, locally and internationally.
Isy B was awarded ‘Lifestyle Designer of the Year’ at Phoenix Fashion Week in the USA in 2016, and in 2017 her brand successfully launched a capsule collection for Evine, the third largest home-shopping network in the USA.

The company’s designs have been featured on Macy’s website in the USA and on red carpets across the world from the Grammys to Cayman Film Festival. In 2017, Isy B was selected to represent the Cayman Islands at Carifesta.

Isy B’s aesthetic is crafted from thoughtful designs that tell stories through harmonic elements and visually balanced forms. Her aim is to create designs that come from the heart, and to visually connect with her wearers at the heart level.

Jawara Alleyne is an award-winning Caymanian fashion designer and artist, currently practicing in London. He is a National Gallery scholarship recipient with a BA in Fashion Design and Marketing from the prestigious London College of Fashion – University of the Arts, London. Since graduating, he has worked with a host of international fashion brands such as Giles Deacon and Peter Pilotto, where he currently works as a Studio Coordinator managing the operations of design development within the studio.

Jawara’s work is an inspection of his Caribbean culture and an exploration of the attitudes and values that underpin it. Imbedding work within the context of his experiences, he challenges his audience to think more deeply about notions of representation and self by pushing the boundaries that define Caribbean art and fashion. This goal has led to an extensive exploration of gender and masculinity and the revisiting of prescribed formulas of how to view and create for the male form.

The name Jawara means “lover of peace”. Accordingly, he has created a brand that aims to peacefully and lyrically explore evolving concepts of identity. Telling the stories about the Caribbean people, his own people, in ways they have yet to explore.

About the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands

Established in 1997, the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands (NGCI) is the country’s leading visual arts museum, exhibition facility and education centre, charged with promoting and encouraging the appreciation and practice of the visual arts in the Cayman Islands. This mission is achieved through exhibitions, education/outreach programmes, school tours, community festivals, and ongoing research projects. Holding up to six exhibitions annually at their central exhibition space and satellite venues around Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands, the curatorial team strives to create a balance between exhibitions of quality Caymanian artwork and collaborations with artists from further afield. This is achieved by working with a broad cross-section of artists and ranging from site-specific work to more traditional gallery-based projects.

NGCI is at the forefront of visual arts education in the Cayman Islands hosting over 60 public programmes monthly, across all three islands. These programmes capture every age group from the youngest preschoolers to senior citizens, as well as marginalized members of our community. They combine art education with enriching creative experiences to foster creativity, help build self-esteem, and provide effective and invaluable explorations of cultural heritage, national identity and community values.