Caymanian artist Michael Mothen is making inroads.
His work is front-and-centre at the Rotary Central bus shelter on Fairbanks Road as part of the Digital Artist in Residency programme by Cayman Enterprise City, in partnership with arts organisation Notable Island.
The art installation, spreading across five panels, is a vibrant tribute to Caymanian culture and history.
“I draw a lot of inspiration from Caymanian history and heritage, which forms the foundation of most of my artwork,” says Michael, also known as ‘BananaArtKid’. “I love the idea of bringing history to life. For this particular artwork, I wanted to capture the theme of travel, given its placement at a bus shelter.”
The artwork tells the story of a catboat travelling to and from home.
The self-taught artist describes his style as animated, playful, vibrant, cultural and dreamlike.
“I enjoy creating animated versions of my work because it allows me to add movement, and bring stories to life,” says Michael. “My aim is to create an atmosphere where viewers feel a connection to the past.”
ARTIST’S DESCRIPTION
RIGHT PANEL
This panel depicts a woman blowing a conch shell to signal the catboat’s return, a nod to the island’s maritime heritage and traditions. The catboat is visible in the distance, hinting at its journey to bring back the day’s catch. This illustration connects with the inner panels, either suggesting the catboat’s departure or its homecoming.
INNER 3 PANELS
The illustration in the central three panels present a dreamlike scene of a catboat soaring above the clouds, symbolising a journey. The catboat, marked with the year 1904, commemorates the construction of the first recorded catboat in Cayman Brac by Daniel Jervis. I designed the clouds in the inner left panel in the shape of the Cayman Enterprise City star icon and included a turtle kite in the right panel as a homage to the turtling heritage of the Cayman Islands.
LEFT PANEL
This panel features the iconic Cayman Enterprise City star logo, artistically rendered in vibrant flowers. Surrounding the logo are the yellow and white butterflies that grace the Cayman Islands in springtime. This panel ties the entire installation together, blending modern branding with natural beauty.
This article originally appeared in the Autumn/Winter 2024 issue of InsideOut magazine.