By Newsday

Copyright newsday

When the curtains came down on Paintings in the Garden (PITG) VII, at Central Bank Museum on September 9, it was without the elegant pomp that opened the exhibit on August 28. But the messages behind the works of the artists on display, and the charitable cause for which PITG founder Alicia Aberdeen-Jones and her team worked tirelessly to bring the New York-based event to Trinidad and Tobago spoke volumes, much like the spirited performances on opening night by musical legends Mungal Patasar, Carol Addison-Lewis and pannist Natasha Joseph, who had patrons dancing in their seats at the Central Bank of TT’s (CBTT) auditorium.

This year’s theme, Zandolie in a Mango Tree – the Essence of a People, showcased the work of TT-born Aberdeen-Jones and 12 other artists. Part proceeds from the event will go to the Serenity Place Empowerment Centre for Women, in Guapo, founded by Beverly Morson.

“The exhibition which was installed on the ground floor, included artwork from a number of established local artists from both islands as well as student artists. Artists included Beverly Fitzwilliams-Harries with her colourful nature-inspired pieces, Janice Derrick who showcased her handmade, intricately designed jewellery, Kenwyn Crichlow with his thought-provoking abstract work and Evan Samuel, whose woodturned creations were featured. Tomley Roberts represented Tobago with his vibrant paintings that depicted dancers in their element. Student work included pieces by Shivanie Thomas and Imani Sesepkekiu of Bishop Anstey High School, Port of Spain,” CBTT’s senior curator Nimah Miwakul-Zakuri said.

The other artists included Alvin Clayton-Fernandez, Gabrielle Wilkes, Aimee Bartholomew, Tyler Villaruel, and the late Glenn Roopchand.

In his remarks on opening night, Central Bank Governor Larry Howai noted that the exhibition was a cornerstone of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, which is guided by a simple but profound principle.

“As a public institution, we have a duty to uplift and empower lives beyond our financial mandate. We believe economic stability must be accompanied by social progress, and institutions like ours must proactively shape a more inclusive and compassionate society,” Howai said.

He explained that the bank’s CSR efforts are carefully designed to uplift and empower the people of TT through a focused strategy centred on three pillars: economic empowerment, health and wellness, and social development.

“Through these pillars, we support initiatives that improve financial literacy, promote well-being and environmental stewardship, and nurture arts, culture, education, and sports, especially for our young people and vulnerable groups.”

PITG’s exhibition, he said, exemplifies these values.

In supporting this initiative, Howai said CBTT affirms its belief in the transformative power of art — not only as a form of expression but as a catalyst for healing and social change.

“Art has the ability to open hearts, challenge perceptions, and inspire action. It connects us across boundaries and generations, reminding us of our shared humanity and collective responsibility.

“Events like this reflect CBTT’s commitment to making a visible and meaningful contribution to society, allowing the bank to engage with our communities, celebrate our culture, and support those who need it most.

The first instalment of PITG took place in New York in 2019, and it is now an annual art show and fundraiser produced by Alicia Aberdeen Art LLC. The event spotlights Caribbean artistic talent while raising funds for charity. This year Aberdeen-Jones partnered with Accommodata Services’ Gail Rajkumar to give TT its first taste of PITG.

“Bringing PITG to TT was special to me on several levels,” Aberdeen-Jones said.

“Firstly, there’s just something that resonates with being in the place of your birth and being able to completely express yourself creatively. My life in Trinidad prior to migrating to the US was spent mostly in corporate. I left Trinidad to pursue my artistic dreams. So to be able to now return and not only share myself and all that I’ve amassed over the years, but to be received with such warmth and enthusiasm by my people, is simply priceless.”

For her, using that creative drive as a tool to effect positive community impact is a game changer.

“It affects the artist(s), particularly the younger and up-and-coming ones when they bear witness to what their talents can do. It also facilitates the spreading of love as we focus on the charities we champion, bringing light to hidden warriors and exposing ‘the longest kept secrets,’ as Serenity is affectionately known, in human advocacy. I couldn’t be more blessed to be introduced to the Central Bank team – senior manager Human Resources and Knowledge Management Nicole Crooks, manager External Relations Christine Nanton-Winter and curator Nimah Muwakil-Zakuri – who took such good care of us from inception to the end. I am immensely grateful to them for agreeing to host us, as without them it would’ve been more challenging to attain to calibre of production we were able to put on. So many of the artists were thrilled to have their works at CBTT.”

But, she said, although the exhibit was deemed a success, she and her team encountered a few unexpected, stressful, last-minute hurdles.

“Unfortunately some of us who were bringing artwork from abroad were unable to retrieve our pieces from Piarco, as the necessary paperwork had got lost along the way.

“However, we had a lot of help from the relevant authorities in learning the ins and outs of bringing artwork into the country for sale. I am excited to get it right, but I am also hopeful that perhaps we can revisit the laws on the books as it pertains to artists, particularly returning nationals and their work. As ‘children of the soil’ we want to be able to return and give back and share and add to and contribute to the economy. We should be encouraged and even incentivised to return and do business, not discouraged.”

For those who may still be interested in purchasing pieces from PITG VII, the exhibit remains open until September 30 on the aliciaaberdeenart.com website, or you can e-mail info@aliciaaberdeenart.com