Local artists raise funds for the National Gallery at Big Art Auction 8

Thirty local artists participated in this year’s Big Art Auction for the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands, donating 50% of proceeds from sales to the National Gallery. The funds raised will support the development of the Gallery’s Permanent Collection and collection-based education programmes and school tours.

In a live auction setting, held on Thursday 10 October, collectors and invited guests bid on a wide range of art by well-known artists and up and coming talent, with paintings, sculpture and installations going under the hammer. Highly sought-after pieces included a painting by Linda McCann’s from her recent “Tangled World” exhibition at the Gallery, and a rare opportunity to acquire work by the late Bendel Hydes.

Since launching in 2011, the Big Art Auction has helped the National Gallery grow its Permanent Collection which is at the heart of its mission to preserve, promote and foster the visual arts in the Cayman Islands. As the country’s national art museum, the Gallery does not have a budget to purchase art and relies on philanthropic donations and fundraising events.

With sales split 50/50 between the artist and Gallery, the Big Art Auction also supports Cayman’s commercial art market which continues to expand and mature, allowing more artists to make a living through artistic endeavours.

“As well as supporting the National Gallery and our artist community, the Big Art Auction provides an ideal opportunity for anyone wanting to start or build their collection of local art,” said Natalie Urquhart, director of the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. “Buying local art is not only a good investment for your home or office, it also holds its value well.”

The Big Art Auction 8 featured artwork by  James Adams, Shane “Dready” Aquârt, Babbity Barwick, John Bird, Cameron Bridgeman, John Broad, Nasaria Suckoo Chollette, Randy Chollette, Kaitlyn Elphinstone, Kathryn Elphinstone, Samuel Etoh, Janine Every, Carlos Garcia, Teresa Grimes, Bendel Hydes, John Reno Jackson, Jason Kennedy, Iain MacRae, Chris Mann, Linda McCann, Claire Pettinati, Raphael Powery, Yonier Powery, Kay Smith, Gordon Solomon, Pam Kelly-Laurenson (Stoak’d), Karoly Szücs, Simon Tatum, and Avril Ward.

An exhibition ran in the Dart Auditorium at the Gallery in the month running up to the event, giving members of the public the chance to see the Big Art Auction pieces before they were sold to private and public collections.

“On behalf of the Board and all the team at the National Gallery, I’d like to thank the artists and collectors for their generosity and support,” said Urquhart. We give special thanks to our volunteer auctioneer Philip Paschalides who has led the proceedings with such style and humour each year.”

For more information about current and upcoming events at the National Gallery, visit https://www.nationalgallery.org.ky/